what is and isn't going on

Not the most prolific of week's in the creative department. Machine applique, stalled out. File re-arranging and other things on the home front took center stage. Besides, I honestly didn't "feel" like sewing........or quilting. I know better than to push it when I don't feel the creative muse. I DID a little redwork embroidery on the #12 Bird Brain Santa block but that is about it.

I also went thru a lot of my Christmas patterns and books. Some magazines as well. I did a bit of re-design work on my proposed Oxmoor Christmas quilt in EQ. Just no sewing or quilting as previously stated. That quilt seems to have more of an attraction for me lately. In a couple weeks, maybe.

My errands are all run and I do intend to set up to quilt starting today. My goal is to get at least 5 of those top 7 donation quilts done this week, working around the holiday meal, of course. It's doable. I don't mind having a quilt on my lap so much when the weather cools down.

The Belles annual Christmas get together is coming up in about 2 weeks time and that means that I need to get my challenge top done. The Michael Miller "Romance" piece on the right is the challenge fabric. I really don't want to whack it apart and chop those cute little figures apart.

After, again, looking thru my patterns this week, I found that I kept coming back to this Prairie Window pattern from Quiltwoman.com. I love that stripe that the designer showed around the focus piece on the pattern jacket but would it work with anything that I had on hand around here? Turns out, I had this wonderful striped fabric that I bought in Portland, OR during the FAB retreat with no purpose in mind other than I liked it. I was thinking "purse" at the time perhaps but no real project for it. It is a Michael Miller piece as well so the colors seem to be right. Things from my stash for this---good, right? I think there should be enough fabric aqua bow fabric leftover from my Daisy Chain to back this as well. That just left ordering something for the outer border which should be here sometime this week. At last, a decision is made and sewing it will be my reward for getting some quilting done.

I DO like Anne Wien's other patterns as well---I could see giving her Right Angles quilt a whirl down the line. and I already own the Mahjongg pattern. I just didn't feel that I had the right fabrics on hand for THIS quilt to try it. But there is always something down the line that it might be" just the ticket."

Skyler---silly boy! He runs at top speed down the hall from the bedrooms tagging my leg on the way in an effortto beat me to the couch arm. Either I roll him over or he deliberately falls off so we can play box or toss his catnip mouse around. Back and forth we go till he wears out or he finds something else that takes his attention more. We do this several times a day. Problem is, the heat has been on and he builds up a lot of static electricity pushing around on the couch on his back. ZAP!


DJ told me to come out last night with the camera so I could get a picture of his rose bush. This shot is not doing them much justice as the color is off. We have already had a hard freeze (I think) so we both were a little surprised to see these come out. I guess the day time temps in the mid 60's have allowed that. DJ has been able to get some outside repairs and painting done with the good weather. So far the rains are not really coming but we need it.

Time to go fire up the grill to toss on some burgers for lunch. Catch up with you later................