Topic-less Tuesday or how scattered my brain is these days....

When I begin creating my blog posts,  I like to find a theme or common thread among the photos I plan to post

but today....

I just couldn't!!!!

ARGH!

And so ! gathered the photos that were scattered about and tried to make sense of them all.....
I just couldn't!!!


Double ARGH!

My post seemed to resemble a grocery list!!!!!!

So here is my list.....

Discovery of beauty in a nearby park.....

Time to honor those who have served....

A sudden burst of domesticity.....

Twenty newly hand dyed fat quarters.....

A row created for Tine....

A little hanging for a challenge in this ezine....

A UFO that keeps changing....

Three new Dresden plate blocks in progress....

  Some days the ideas just flow a little easier than others....

No use crying over spilled milk...

Four years ago, I decided to make a quilt for the annual JDRF Gala and auction to raise funds for diabetes research. It was a novel idea, so it brought in a lot of money...

The next year I did it again.  I decided to use the theme of the auction (Hollywood) and made another quilt. It, too, raised a lot of money.

Last year, the theme was Hawaii, and I made a quilt of my own creation (no pattern!). Times were getting tough and so it didn't raise as much money but a good chunk and it went to a nice family who also have a child with type 1 diabetes.

This year's quilt was created on a whim this fall out of my love for black/white and green fabrics. It, too, is my own creation. But, this quilt is now one of four in the auction and so the novelty has worn off... auctioning off quilts has run its course. This quilt did not raise as much money but it went to a nice family... a former preschool teacher of Sugarbaby's and her family.

I make these quilts out of love for my baby and my love for quilting and I have no regrets. My work, creating quilts to raise funds to help in the cure for diabetes has even landed me in Vickie Howell's upcoming book collaboration.

But it is time to move on....

I've got projects to start!!!!

My row for Sarah as part of our Row 10 group project!

and projects to finish!!!!

Once again, another UFO that has been sitting on a shelf screaming, "Finish me!!!"

So, I am back in the sewing room when I have time making a mess!

So, have a great week everybody!!!!


Addendum: So now I AM crying!!!!!!


I was minding my own business late this morning, making cookies, and Mr. U walks into the house. He enters the kitchen and I look around to see the quilt!!!!! I was stunned!!!!!


He thought it was too beautiful to be anywhere else but here!!!

It's home!!!!!!!!!

I love my Mr. U!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why wait??!!

Well, life has been busy and I haven't said a lot (well, at least not on the blog)...

but today, on Twitter, I was chatting with my quilty friend, Sarah about the upcoming year ...

 our goals, our plans....

I told her that I have no new projects planned except to continue to work on a few more UFO's (yes, believe it or not, I have more!!!!)

 and am only committing to one group project (for now)...

I actually began downsizing throughout the year mostly out of necessity....

Still, I had a very productive year....

I added another student ....

I added some buildings to my (our) growing landlording business...

I eliminated dairy, eggs, and chocolate from my vegetarian diet (and I feel great!) right after Thanksgiving to combat some ongoing ailments...

and I stepped up my workouts in the past month or so and have been running 5 miles 3-4x/wk while taking Body Combat (1x/wk) and Body Pump (2x/wk)...

So why wait for the calendar to say "January 1st"? It is never too early to make changes...

Start today!

Have a great day, whatever you do!

Steadfast or Stupid?!!!

Fall seven times, Stand up eight
-Japanese Proverb

At least that is what they lead you to believe!

I am moving along on my way to making 255 Dear Jane blocks..... but on some days, construction of these blocks goes better than others!!!

Today... I persisted but is it worth it? I ask myself... or am I just being plain ol' stupid?!

This block, F2 Kaleidoscope, was a real bugger. Looks good, doesn't it?!



Well.... my first attempt (exhibited on the right below ) went terribly wrong at many levels!



I tried to conserve fabric and as you can see in the bottom right hand corner, that led me a little shy of a proper seam allowance. Getting the spot where the seams are supposed to meet (between the wee triangles and lopsided diamond-like shape) took many, many (many) tries! And alas.... I even pieced it wrong!!


So, lots of wee scraps of paper, thread and fabric were tossed!



I did get this block (Starflower) done, though I wish my corners were sharper (but certainly, not worth redoing... yet!)



and this block (Sweet Tater Pie) only took one set of pieces but had to be ripped out in spots so I could get the seams to meet where they are supposed to! I do like how it looks now!



My block chart is beginning to fill up!



I just hope I have the perseverance needed to finish this project!!!

Or will it end up on the shelves of my sewing room with the other UFO's???



or left for awhile on the ironing board with the projects that I have to get back to?



As you know, I have finished a couple of UFO's lately but as you can see, there are a few more waiting!

Until then,

Even if I am not stupid, at least I am still ....