Friday, March 13, 2009

In a Nutshell...

Welcome to all! I am thinking that we have some newcomers to my blog since I am having this first-day-of-spring giveaway and I am lucky to be featured guest blogger on Michele's blog/website this weekend!

I am known as 'Upstatelisa' around these here parts. Where did the crazy name come from you ask?

WhenI began my internet connection here in our present home, I signed up for a yahoo account and had to come up with a user name. Well, just in case you don't know, my parents (and millions of others who became parents of girls in the 1960's) chose "Lisa" as their daughter's name, so plain ol' Lisa just wouldn't work for a user name... it was all ready taken (surprise!). So... living in what is known loosely as upstate NY (though I have to say that we really do live in upstate NY, northeastern NY), I chose "Upstatelisa" and the name stuck!

I am wife to Mr. U (we will celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary next week) and Mom to Teenager with lots of stuff, Nature Boy, and Sugarbaby (a.k.a. Sloppy).

Most mornings, Mr. U's alarm goes off just after 4 AM (I know... this is crazy, you say!). But this allows Mr. U and I to have a cup of coffee and go our separate ways for an hour or two. He goes off to climb a nearby mountain or run about 2 hours outside...

while I go to the gym to run on a treadmill-- I prefer to have control over my environment, kind of like a laboratory, eh? ( HA! I stuck that in for the Canadians, but really, I have lost all my Canadianisms, except the occasional s-oh-rry which my kids laugh at and honestly, most people think I sound more american than my US born hubby). I don't have 2 hours to spare so I am happy if I get in a 4 mile run (which I did in 36.04 minutes this morning) or I take a one hour strength training class a couple of times per week.

I can come home, shower, dress, eat breakfast, and then start the day which includes seeing the girls off to school on their respective school buses, schooling Nature Boy whom we began homeschooling last month, fulfilling landlord duties for our 6 unit apartment building, completing household chores or my fave....

Escaping to my sewing room!!!!!! I have had to take a bunch of photos of me in my sewing room lately to get ready to send off to the publisher of a book project spearheaded by Vickie Howell (I made the final cut).... this is one photo that I am considering sending. Can you see the giveaway quilt in my hands?!

If you don't all ready know, I am a huuuuge lover of log cabins in quilts


This is my latest bunch of scrappy log cabins...
My latest bunch of scrappy log cabins


making a total of 79 blocks...

which I started when I saw this challenge (I am using freezer paper paper piecing to make my blocks) and I am aiming to make about 100. Almost there!

This is another of my recent log cabin projects...
The 25 blocks are sewn together but now I have to figure out which way to quilt it!

I could go the wonky line route....

or the more wonky grid pattern route...
Which do you prefer?


Once that project is done, it is back to my other love...

collage
My houses!!!!! Wonky houses, to be exact! (Can you tell that I like the word 'wonky'?!) I want to put these together to enter in our guild's quilt show in June!

So, that, in a nutshell, is me....

Have a good weekend! I will be transporting Teenager to/from work, going to a lecture/trunk show at our guild given by 4th and 6th Designs, and helping out at two figure skating exhibitions (Saturday and Sunday) in which Sugarbaby will skate. Which leaves me no time for blogging this weekend!!!!

17 comments:

  1. I like the wonky grid. I do love your quilts,as they just shout fun! I guess I am just too geometrically challenged to do wonky as I would be constantly trying to straighten up the seams or quilt in line with one seam. I do love what you do though - quite the free spirit.

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  2. I am in love with your wonky houses quilt! I love wonky - especially houses. I actually have wonky house pictures in my (not quite wonky)house. Can you tell I love the word "wonky" too?
    I'm not a newbie to your blog; I've been lurking around for a while, but it's nice to "meet" you and your family.
    Are you (were you) Canadian?

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  3. I am a 4 a.m.-er too (& I was before I had Jacob, whom I now feed at 4 a.m.)

    I prefer the first quilting option - the one that is not on the giveaway...

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  4. Hey, there...congrats on making the final cut AND on the upcoming anniversary with Mr. U. As for the quilting options, the first one seems to be more suited to the wonky white cabin blocks. I'm one of your regulars here for awhile and LOVE your posts and was also fortunate enough to win a lovely giveaway from you last year. Keep up the good work, Lisa!

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  5. Wonky lines for me.
    Love all your work.
    Andi :-)

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  6. Oh, i love your log cabins! Every time I try them, they turn out a little off if you know what i mean. As far as your quilting poll you're taking, i really like the first option, wonky line route. I gotta tell you, i never would have thougth of doing white log cabins, but i love these and i especially like the purple 'not centered' one. Looks great!!

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  7. You are so creative. I always feel inspired to try something new when I visit your blog.

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  8. I just found your blog through Quilting Gallery and you've been added to my favorites! I like the wonky line route - it's not as "busy" looking to me. But then again, I'm more a clean lines person... LOL

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  9. a nice upstatelisa in a capsulized form! i like the wonky grid. what is it about wonky folks and 4 a.m. wake ups. we're more like 4:30 around here, but definitely early risers.

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  10. Love the blocks!

    Lisa (flickr lmdesign7)

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  11. loved your intro! Your sewing machine shot is so cute and will be perfect for the book

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  12. Oh Lisa! My hand just shot up to be included in the giveaway! You know I love your stuff! Love the shots of you in the studio, Just spotted my mini on the wall! Cool!

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  13. wow so much to take in on this post. I love the white log cabin and the quilting you chose. It suits it perfectly. And the design you did for the red suits that one as well. No help? Um, well, I guess I like the quilting on the white better. Probably a bit less controlled as well, if I had to guess. We can say we saw it from you first, when the white cabin craze hits the other bloggers sites, right?

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  14. Congratulations on the feature! Your sewing room looks so lovely and tidy .... I wish! Our Lisa said to me last night that it looks like I am drowning in mine ... sounds about right sadly!

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  15. I like the wonky lines & LOVE your houses? IS that a pattern? just adorable! ...also a fan of the word wonky ;)

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  16. Hi. My name is Debi and I saw a picture of a black and white log cabin variation on Pinterest and Flickr, did you make it? It's gorgeous! If you did make it I'm seeking permission to replicate it for myself, not for sale or auction or to be given away, just for me. I hope you can grant me permission to make one like yours. Thank you in advance. Debi R. @ gdlceanfun @ gmail dot com or you can find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gdcleanfun Thank you again. :)

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  17. This is the quilt in question: http://www.flickr.com/photos/upstatelisa/5797723523/ Thank you again. Debi R.

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