On closets, cleaning, quilting, weight loss and toenails...
All of these things intersect in my life- like the burmuda triangle. Bonnie was talking about cleaning her closet the other day. She mentioned that she wore the same colors that she likes to quilt with. Lots of denim and khaki... got to thinkin' about that. My closet is in the throes of an identity crisis. I used to wear lots of khaki- actually, I wore pretty much exclusively khaki. Khaki skirts, pants and jumpers, jackets. Only solid-color shirts- mostly tan. It was kinda sad and weird, because that certainly wasn't the way I quilted. I love color. I've always loved color. I just didn't want it on me. (But I did and still do have a thing for mono-chromatic quilts.)

But then, I lost 40 pounds. No, I'm not bragging- it's rather embarrassing to admit that I had that much extra weight on me. I do happen to be on the tall side of average, but it was still 40 pounds. And it seems to be the time of year when people start making plans to shed those few extra pounds. So what does weight-loss have to do with quilting and closets? Well, now I wear lots of pink, and I've expanded my horizons to stripes- still not crazy about flower prints- unless they're tiny. I have turquoise shirts and raspberry skirts. Lime-green sweaters and purple t-shirts. And my quilting has changed. I play more than I used to. Someone was talking, here on the Maverick ring, about losing weight, and while I think that it is great for your health, it will most definitely have an impact on your wardrobe- not just the sizes- and on your quilting. It's not a bad thing, just different. I find that I expect more from my quilting. I want it to please me, not just be acceptable. But at the same time, I can force myself to work on something that I particularly don't care for because it is for someone else- and they would love it- while before, I just didn't have the heart to do that. And I love putting colors together that don't exactly go together- just because I like them. But some things stay the same. Like the color blue.

Whenever my husband would start tickling me, all I had to say was the word , "blue, blue, blue," and I wouldn't laugh. I have tried blue. I really have. I even bought me the most beautiful blue shirt from J.Jill- love their clothes- a blue drawstring-pocket shirt. And didn't wear it once. I tried, but before I'd get out of the bedroom, I had to change. It was just too depressing. I have no idea why. I like it at a distance. Sarah loves blue and I love her quilts. I'm trying to work with it, now. I'm making another Pineapple Blossom in blues and yellow. Yeah, I had to buy the fabric instead of using my stash, because I didn't have a single peice of blue. Weird. The whole time I've been working on it, I keep having pessimistic thoughts about how this isn't going to work. I know it's just the blue telling me that. I feel certain it will be ok. I just have to push through. Ok, I do keep bursting out into tears as I'm sewing, but honestly, maybe it's just hormones.

And toenails and quilting? Well, I had a lunch date with some girlfriends, yesterday. After my shower, I look at my toes and realize, I could really use a pedicure. I do my own. I have a choice to make- paint my toenails or sew for an extra 5 minutes. I seriously considered it... went for the sewing. My mom says I definitely have a sickness. I don't guess that's news to anybody, here.

(This is the second quilt top I finished using my FW. I had all of the blocks made, I just needed to join them. The points aren't quite as close as I'd like, but it takes awhile to get used to a new machine. You'd think that a quarter inch would be the same, no matter what. It's for my cousin, for college. His school colors are green and white. Happy new year to all!!)

Woo-hoo! Pineapple blossom done!
It's more like "kinda done." The pineapple blossom blocks are done. Aren't they lovely? Thank you so much for sharing that pattern with us, Bonnie! (I can't even imagine the amount of time it must take to figure one of those up- take all the pictures, type it all in... But I really do appreciate it and I know that there are so many others here, also, that do too!) I used only fabric from my stash. The background peices are all from the same fabric- a fact I nearly regretted. I actually had to peice 2 of the 3 1/2" squares. Now that's using every bit of fabric. And it's a solid- not most quilter's favorite, but I like the soft celery green color. I didn't have much of a selection of light fabrics as I have recently used up a lot in a couple different quilting projects. It's just not very exciting to buy...beige...fabric. You know? So I usually end up with very little in my stash. And it looks so nice in a quilt. Need to change that about myself. I made 48 of Bonnie's pineapple blossom blocks and the top is, thus far, about 58"x72". Something like that. I want to make it larger, so I was thinking that I might use all of those bonus triangle blocks in a saw tooth border. What do you think of that? too pokey? I was thinking to find a batik in, maybe, green. Maybe make a small border, then the sawtooth border and then a wider one. I had some interesting pink/orange fabric, but it muddied up the blossom blocks. It'll have to wait a couple weeks, until I go back to work- and the quilt shop reopens. The Quilter's Toy Box has loads of batiks. I was thinking, if it is alright with Bonnie, that I might see if there is any interest in a class for the Pinapple Blossom. I thought it was a lot of fun and it really slurped up the stash.

Look Sarah!!! Look Judy!!!
Look what Santa brought me!!! No surprise to you Sarah! Judy, the big box under the tree was full of smelly tennis shoes! BUT the box that was wrapped in the bedroom closet... now, that one was a Singer Featherweight! Isn't she a beaut?! I am so thrilled. DH Bill has been bugging me to get a new sewing machine for years, but I kept putting him off. I just hated to get something new. I'm really more of a vintage kind of girl than a designer one. I have an ancient Jeep that I drive around- lots of rust. You know the kind with the wood panels on the side? But I never worry that it is going to get dinged in a parking lot, or that I'll wreck it. It's kinda disposable. It's comfortable. That's the way I felt about my old machine. Yes, lots of weird little quirks, but basically reliable. A new machine? Well, you have to spend all of this time getting to know it, you're worried it'll break. Especially those fancy computerized ones. My SIL has one that actually tells her what to do. The gall. No thank you. Sarah mentioned to Bill way back in July that I might really like a Featherweight. What a friend. Bill has been looking for one, ever since. (You have to know Bill... He is so sweet and generous. My Dad actually admonished me- the week before I was to marry him, to be nice and careful not to take advantage of him. I was offended, but Dad was right. You have to be very careful not to mention that you like something, or else it goes home with you. So what would be wrong with that, you ask? Well, just because I like something doesn't mean I want it or need it. And it wouldn't be any fun to run us into financial ruination for, say, an ice tea maker! I can boil tea just like most of the tea-drinking world.) I'm rambling, right? But I am just so thrilled. Sarah says he called her when I was in WV with my dad, and asked some more specific questions about what I might like. If I recall, that was shortly after I was reading Judy's blog about all of her Featherweights and Singer 301s. I tilted the monitor ever so slightly so Bill could see what I was ohhing and ahhing over. He asked if I might be interested in one of them and I said I was- but didn't know which one. So now that I have the featherweight, he says that if we find a 301 that I like better, that we can always sell the featherweight, since they are so popular. Silly man.

It runs like a dream and I have finished two quilt tops since Xmas- not bad, huh? I had forgetten how fun peicing can be. Honestly, it's been a long time since the activity in my quilting room resembled anything close to mere sewing. With my old sewing machine it was more akin to a WWF wrestling match- complete with trash talk. ie.-"Oh yeah, you're going' down. I am the undisputed champion in this sewing room! You wanna peice of me?" Leaders and enders? na-uh. Not possible, as every single peice had to be fed in- with the pressure foot up. Remember me grumbling about the bulkiness I ran into when I did some of Tonya's letters? Well, that's because sewing more than two layers was almost impossible. Now this baby just glides through tons of seam allowances and, I'm saying this in hushed tones as I don't want to alert the sewing maffia, but I can even sew over seams with pins in them!! I took a clothing construction class in college and I thought the teacher was going to stab me with her pinking shears when I stitched over a pin. But sometimes you kinda need to, you know? And now I can. I can even sew off of the fabric and hop onto another peice. Amazing. It doesn't knot all up in the bobbin case. And the feed dog plate is flat to the machine surface-instead of 1/4" step up- like the old machine and kept flipping my seams in the wrong direction. I don't have to tug and pull and push. I just sit there like a normal human being, and it's so quiet and it doesn't rattle off the table and constantly need to be dragged back into position. Bill even bought me 18 extra bobbins. It does smell a little like the barber clippers that I use on the boys' hair. But that's just the oil, I think. I can live with it. I'm a happy, happy camper! Thank you, Bill!

(Sarah- yet another thing we have in common! I also love using up every bit of thread off the spool! I can hardly stand to let them go!! Notice the pile of spools by my new machine. That's just two weeks worth. I try to throw them away, monthly. Joe once asked me why I keep empty spools of thread and I told him it reminded me that I did get something done, today. I usually pick them up on clearance- just odd colors, ones I consider neutral. I remember when all I did was dress making- it would take me forever to run through a spool of thread- if ever. Now it is an almost daily thing. And that's a good and lovely day!)

Eva's wallhanging...
Eva was thrilled with her wallhanging. I was surprised by her reaction, when she opened it. I was expecting a shrug of the shoulders, a "that's nice," because she was opening so many presents... But she slapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes were huge. "It's beautiful!" she said so softly as she ran her hands over all the beads. I think she 6 going on 60! She said she remembered coloring all the colors- just like a quilt! She is really very pleased with it. I know you can't tell by the picture, but I decided to take Tonya's advice and go with the "more is more" philosophy. I can see how people could get "embellishment fever" and never want to stop until your project weighs 500 lbs! It is kinda addicting sitting there putting on one bead, then another, another...There are over 1000 beads on that little wallhanging! There are over 500 in the grey area, alone. (My DS Jacob's bead collection has been decimated, somewhat, but he likes it, too, so he doesn't mind.) My favorite beads are the little turquoise daisy sequins on her dress. Eva loves jewelry- so I added a necklace and a couple bracelets. I made a pocket on the backside for her drawing to fit in- as well as a place to put the color copy of it and the label. I enjoyed doing it, but I am glad to have it behind me so I can work on some other UFOs.

Bill's Feast...
This is Will. The love of my life. He's 40. (I just had to say that because I told all of the kids' ages.) And he really is the love of my life. I know it's hard to tell from the picture, but this is my kitchen. His feast was the other night and, with Bill, it is always a big surprise.
He hung about 10 yards of my 120" wide muslin from the kitchen ceiling, making a huge tent. The ends he closed in with extra yardage- Mom, recognize the blue leopard fabric? He hung little white lights above it for stars. So we had ourselves a little "camping trip." He grilled hambugers on the grill and then we had s'mores for dessert- over those little chafing pots. I was a nervous wreck that we'd set something on fire. Never happened- outside a marshmallow or two. He had the camping plates and lanterns on a tablecloth on the floor. No, Grandma didn't sit on the floor. We got her a little table. Bill gave the children each their own huge chocolate candy bar. The kids know that's always part of his ritual- they just have to find it. Once, it was taped to the underside of the table. Once, under the seats. He had them thinking he changed his mind, since they had s'mores. Enough chocolate, right? Nope.

This is the "quilt" that I made Will for Xmas. It is Minkee Blankee on both sides. It weighs a ton. I put extra-high loft batting in it and so it feels like a real fur. Only softer and it doesn't shed! I used 2 yards of fabric on each side, so it is about 60"x70". I nice size to sit under when watching movies or sitting at the computer. There must be some kind of black hole by my computer as I am always freezing when I am sitting here.

While visions of sugarplums dance in their heads...
The children are all tucked into bed and the house is settling down for the night. Will was called away to work- he is "on call" throughout the holidays. (I miss him, but I am so thankful that he is only having to work in a hospital on Xmas Eve- it is very sad to think of those that are there because of illness. Hospitals and sickness don't take holidays.) We decided to wait to open presents until Monday- when he would be home. I don't have any particular attatchments to the 25th so that's fine by me. It'll give me one more day to finish wrapping those 60 pairs of socks! Of course, I want to wait until we are all together. Having said that we are waiting one more day to open presents... I must confess to opening one, a few days early. My roommate from college sent me the most amazing gift box.
It's like a little anti-nervous breakdown kit!! And since I just said I don't have any hang-ups about the 25th....I must confess to feeling a little blue at having to spend it alone. So... I broke out all the goodies in the anti-nervous breakdown kit- except the chocolate, but that's another story. I am wearing the flannel PJ's she got me last year- with the Mary Englebreit tea cups of kindness... I showered with the Lavender Kiss My Face bath gel- you won't believe how wonderful I smell! I slathered on lavender and shea butter lotion. I lit the lavender soy candle- we midwesterners appreciate anything in soy- except our food! I brushed my teeth with the Tom's of Maine orange and mango toothpaste- got a shock at how much whiter my teeth are. I smeared my face with anti-aging cream- I usually have enough dry skin flaking off my face to fill a snowglobe, but not anymore! I set out the necklace that she got me to wear with the sweater that Sarah got for me- oh ok, so I opened two presents early. What do you expect when left on my own? The sweater is about the same color as the green box, above. I just love it! So now I feel all pampered and loved and not so down in the dumps. I am planning on finishing up Evabeth's wallhanging, tonight, while watching some movie- haven't decided, yet. I hope everyone is having a lovely Xmas Eve and a wonderful day with your family and loved ones.

John's feast...
This is John, also known as Jack. He's 9. Last, but certainly not least of the kids' feasts. John stays on the walking wounded list. His mouth is always busted and his teeth, well, the dentist really likes Jack. He has braces in his future- as soon as he gets his cap put back on- for the umpteenth time. He had shaved ice with rootbeer over it. Then he had lots of flavored crackers and that funky cheese in a can. Kids loved that. Then he had a great salad- mom has to suggest that salad would be nice or none of the boys would even think of it. Pizza- he made with Chef Boyardee- and you know? It was really very good- we put our own cheese and toppings on them. He served ice cream or sherbet in cones with chocolate chip cookies. Only a kid would think that ice cream sounds good in December. Well, we did have a warm day and I think it got up to nearly freezing. His gift was "screamer balloons"- have you ever seen those? They are about 4 feet long, and after you blow them up, you release them and they scream around the room. How annoying is that? But they kids loved them and they were so... John, that I couldn't say no.

I can't even tell you how much these special evenings mean to us. We have a very long, narrow kitchen table- reminds me of the one Finn described in her old home. DH made it for us the week we moved into our old farm house. Or first meal on it was Thanksgiving- 6 years ago. How righteous was that? It is 8 feet long and only about 28" across. Bill and I sit in the middle, together, on one of the long sides. And as I sit there by the light of candles and Christmas lights and I look down the length of that table at all of these beautiful smiling faces, oh, how could my heart be anything but filled with such joy that I can't express. I think that sometimes people believe that things need to be perfect in order for them to be truly happy. Newsflash for 'em. Life will never be perfect- not here. And as my Aunt June says, "Those hard times make such sweet memories." So, life is sweet. Bittersweet at times, but sweet nonetheless. And I'm gonna soak it all up!