Greetings

Where have I been? Don't ask because I'm not sure. I am amazed at how fast time goes by. I noticed that I haven't posted anything on this blog since the 10th. It doesn't seem that long ago. Last week I attended a quilt guild meeting and had a few pictures I was going to post. I'm not sure when but I will. Last Saturday I got together with other guild members and we worked on next years Opportunity Quilt. I have pictures of that too, just not today. I have been busy with various projects that have deadlines connected to them and maybe even pictures to post. I'm up at 4:30 in the morning and then it's 9:00 and off to bed I go. I'm wondering if this is a symptom of getting older?

Batiks Plus is one of my favorite web stores. I don't purchase a lot from them but, only because I don't have the money. The quilt below is a Judy Niemeyer design done in batiks. The cost of the quilt kit is $390. No that doesn't include the backing. It takes every ounce of my self control not to pull out my credit card and purchase this kit. I love the quilt and I love batik fabrics.

My favorite season is autumn. I love everything about it and I think I focused on that once before. I enjoy making bread but don't do it in the summer because it's too hot to fire up the oven. I'm looking forward to our first cool day, that I'm not working, to make bread. I've been ordering bread mixes from Moore's Flour Mill for over six years. They don't have a web site but you can contact them at (530)241-9245. They are located in Redding California. They have a Walnut Cranberry bread machine mix that is out of this world. It's only 2.99 (I remember purchasing it for 2.59) and worth every dime. If your every in Redding you should look them up. They are family owned and operated and very nice to do business with.

The weekend is almost here. Tomorrow is casual wear day at work which means it's Friday. Whoo Woo! I'm going to a baby shower and quilt store and then I'm working on completed some of my projects. I might even visit the State Fair. Life if good.

Wishing you a blessed weekend.

Just Whining

I have been trying to finish up my Sister's Twister quilt for a month. That would be the quilting part. I practiced a free motion leaf pattern for weeks and I'm very proud of it. Now, if my thread would stop breaking and my machine would stop falling of the rails I could have this quilt quilted in a few hours. I'm using a thread brand called Presencia, 50 wt. This thread is expensive and not worth a dime. If your wondering why I bought this brand and why I'm not buying something else it's because the local quilt stores in the area don't carry anything else. I've been told the products that JoAnn's carries aren't any good. Well we'll see about that when I start my next project. I didn't want to order thread on line because I am concerned about the color matching. I'm always saying I want to be a long arm quilter until I start a quilting project. I have been attending various workshops and classes and it would appear, when looking at the books in my bookcase, that I have every book written on the subject, yet it's one thing after another. I have changed my needle, re-threaded the machine, and checked my bobbin and that hasn't made a difference. As many quilts as I piece it really is necessary for me to master this skill because I would need to win the Lotto to have the $$$ to pay a long arm quilter to finish all my quilt tops.

I have been looking at the professional long arm's like APQS, Nolting, Tin Lizzie and Gammill but we are talking 10 to 20 thousand dollars, not to mention the space they take up. I would have to commit to starting a business to pay for this. We'll see. Thanks for letting me vent. I'm going to have an ice cream and watch Two and Half Men. Maybe tomorrow I will try quilting again.

Have a blessed evening.

What to do next.

Greetings. The weather has been wonderful and I've been spending a lot of time outside. I'm stuck in an office all day without even a window so I appreciate sitting outdoors in the fresh air. I had asked my hubby to put a water feature in by the pool because I find the sound of trickling water very relaxing. He hung the hose over the side of the pool and turned the water on just a trickle. I will be more specific when I ask him for something in the future. Yesterday it started warming up and for the next few days we will be in the triple digits.

Friday we celebrated our 33rd. wedding anniversary. I worked all day so we went out for a nice dinner. We don't eat out much and so it was a treat.

Saturday I spent the entire day cleaning my living room. You are probably thinking I must be a very dirty housekeeper. Well, not on the surface. I have lots of stuff and when you have to move lots of stuff around it takes lots of time. I guess you could say I am very blessed. I have a collection of Betty Boop porcelain dolls in a display case that hasn't been dusted in months. It took hours to take each doll out, clean the glass shelves and the dolls and put them back. They are very fragile and you don't want to bump porcelain against glass. It was well worth it. I also have dozens of porcelain dolls I have made over the years. We are talking 25 years. I taught doll making, made clothes and sold the finished dolls in a boutique called The Dragonfly. Well that was then and this is now. I felt it was time to put some of those dolls up and some are being donated to the Cancer Society for a fundraiser they have scheduled. The attraction of making your own porcelain doll has died so I make a few dolls when I get special request, for which I have two.
This doll is named Roma. She has beautiful hand blown glass eyes from Germany. I used glass eyes in all my dolls. With the time and expense that goes into make these dolls it isn't worth putting in plastic. Porcelain will last for centuries and so will the glass eyes. You can always buy a new wig.

This is China. I've got a Hawaiian print that I'm going to use for her new dress. I will use the same pattern and I've got a silk hibiscus for her hair.

These four beauty's were designed my the same artist. I have the molds for them and I'm planning to make up a set of each for my granddaughters.

This is Willow. I had her dressed in an Indian outfit at one time. I love making doll clothes and changing their outfits.

Here is a close up. What an expression. I might be making up doll clothes and selling them on EBay.

This is Sugar Britches. This is the doll that started it all. This is the first porcelain doll I ever made. I've had her dressed in PJ's, Christening gowns, and little dresses. This outfit was purchased and it's a replica of the designers outfit. My living room got an overall dusting and vacuuming and I even washed the windows. In the spring I will be redecorating.

I have been working on my applique a little each night and tonight I'm going to start sewing block together on a quilt I need completed by October. It's all good.

Wising you a blessed evening.

A New Month

Greetings from the most miserable city in the country. It's the first day of August and there are 147 days until Christmas. Schools are starting up again. The Fall Equinox is 53 day away. (day when night and day are of equal length) Fall Equinox falls on September 22nd. this year. I love the colors, weather, and smells of Autumn. I've always been more creative during this time of the year. I enjoy decorating the house and shopping for fabric. Fabric colors in autumn are rich and vibrant. Our various family celebrations are behind me and now I can focus on my WW again. I have to stop at the grocery store after church tomorrow and stock up on all the right foods and spend time meal planning. I guess you can say I'm jazzed today. This is a link to a really cool blog about dieting and food. It's fun and informative and I think it's part of the reason for my inspiration. http://www.thechubbyartist.blogspot.com/

For a couple of years Stockton had the highest foreclosure rates in the nation, #1, and we learned this week we are now # 5 in foreclosures. Today's Record is reporting the closure of the Lexington Hotel and the upcoming auction. This hotel started out in August, 2005 as the Sheraton. It was a luxurious hotel in the middle of a not so luxurious downtown. It boasted seven floors, 179 room and 42 big ticket condominiums for sale. It was very nice but out of place in Stockton. It was the dream child of a few of the good old boys here in the most miserable city. The hotel was built on waterfront property the city sold for $1. Yes, you read it right, ONE DOLLAR. The city government subsidized $500,000 of the tax payers money for the project. Sad to say, it was a bust from the beginning. The bank foreclosed on it in July of 08 and has been in receivership since. In November of 08 it became the Lexington Hotel and now it's going to be sold at public auction. The amazing part of all this, the Mayor is quoted in the Record as saying, Ï think everyone is in shock that this would happen at this juncture." I have to ask, are all our elected government official out of touch with reality? Who did she think was going to stay at this hotel? Ít's not like we have big business or manufacturing here. It's an agriculture community. This city has great potential with an inland port, airport, and rail access but in 59 years that I've been here, these golden treasures have always been underutilized. So, if you want to buy a large hotel you know where to come. Someday I'll tell you about the city's use of public funds to subsidize a Sacramento restaurant owner. It was as successful as the Sheraton.

Enough of the negative. I'm off to plan, clean, organize, and quilt, not necessarily in that order. Have a blessed day.