Rambles

Remember me?

How about this guy?
Well we are still hanging in there. We are just taking one day at a time.
My SIL had another brain surgery after getting another infection and going unconscious this weekend. It seems to have affected her memory and definitely slowed her recovery.

With all the traveling that I've been doing, I seemed to have knocked my back out of whack again. So badly that I was forced to hobble to the Dr ( it's pretty bad when a 43 year old needs help getting of the pot!).
Apparently I've been suffering from a slipped disk. This has been an on going battle and now it has a name ( H E double hockey sticks).
I'm doing Physical Therapy three times a week and I really hope that I'll be back to feeling like myself really soon.
As you can guess, I'm not doing much of anything. Everything takes forever, even this post. I have to get up and walk every three words.

But sometime during this last month I've tested out a stoneware bread pan versus a cast iron bread pan. I used the same bread recipe on both. The only difference that I could see or find was that the cast iron pan made the crust darker but they both made a nice crust.

My sons girlfriend doodled on her arm and I thought, "this would make a beautiful quilting design".
If I ever get around to it that is!

I was finally inspired by a picture I saw. So I've been slowly sketching and designing a quilt. My favorite part is how the green dots flow into the black dots. You may have to click the picture to make it larger to see what I'm talking about. Anyway, That's my favorite part.

And lastly, I wanted to show you my new favorite plant. I love this color and it brings out the cobalt blues I have around the yard.
After I get my new corset (back brace) I'm hoping to be able to plant this beauty. Or I need to beg and bribe. I'm feeling really pathetic, I can't even go grocery shopping on my own! But I'm determined to  try to carry on and get things done.

Anyway, Thanks for stopping in and listening to me ramble.
Take care, Brandie

Thankful

First off, I want to Thank all of you for your prayers and concern. My family and I Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

My sister-in-law has been fighting for 46 days to come back to us. 46 very long days.
She has had daily scans, numerous meds and 4 brain surgeries to date. She spent over two weeks in an induced coma. If she had a good couple of hours, it was followed by steps backward for the rest of the week.
It has been heartbreaking to see her in her condition and heartbreaking to not be able to help in any way.
Fortunately, this last weekend she has been the best yet. She has her eyes open and follows you around the room. She has even been able to mouth a few words, like her middle name and the names of her daughters!

She has a long road to recovery but with all the support she has behind her, she can do it!


This hasn't been an easy year for me. Back in February I thought the scariest thing in my life was my brother's surgery. And that seemed a breeze compared to this
.
There is good news about my brother, he had his surgery to put his digestive system back together last week and he's doing great.
He's back at home and looking to move to California to be closer to me, in the near future.



Life has a way of going along with or without our influence. I may have checked out for awhile but I'm trying to get back on the horse. Baby steps.
Those baby steps seem like giant steps some days. Some days those steps can be taken two at a time, but I'm coming back.
Thank you friends for the encouragement and love. Also to Hubby, who has been bored with my last post. A gentle nudge and I'll get there.




Lots of Thankfulness,
Brandie

Please keep my family in your prayers.
Friday night my SIL (same age as me) had a stroke.
She was air-flighted to San Francisco's top Neuro unit.
She has been keep in a heavily sedated state to relieve the pressure in her brain.

This is the SIL that has the twins, who will be three in July.
Please keep us all in your prayers.
Thank you!
Brandie

What happens on the road...

Stays on the road?
This is probably why I shouldn't leave my own state! Oops

Reconstruction

I forgot that I actual did some sewing this weekend. This time I thought I was a huge slacker but then I was looking at the pictures on the camera and came across the back I constructed from the leftover color diamonds and a small piece of black fabric that I've been saving for ?

Because it was a small piece of fabric I thought it would be perfect and not a waste. I'm happy with it. The funny thing is, I've done a small bit of quilting on this piece but I didn't think about the back because it wasn't showing while it sits on my machine.

Have you noticed that I'm not accomplishing much? I have. I'm disturbed by my lack. It's not just with my creative side either. It spills over into my home as well. I feel like a flounder fillet. (BTW, I'm going to patent that)
After much thought, I'm going to reconstruct my life style. I did make a new years resolution to do so and it's only taken me 3 months to really start it.
I'm not being to hard on myself, I kind of figure that life always needs readjusting and work. But there are steps that I need to take for myself.
One, I need to spend more time on my body. I'm not getting any younger and I need to stop making excuses. After spending several hours in the car taking Hubby back and forth to the airport, my hips have been killing me! Well not literally, but I've been mighty uncomfortable.
So it's time to grab the bull by the horns and do something for me and my health.

Two, I've learned that all the years I had lists and schedules for the kids, those lists weren't really for them, they were for my benefit.
Since the children aren't home anymore those lists started to fall by the way side. Well my house is showing it! I thought I could be more of a free spirit and spontaneous. All that has happened is that I have a pile of laundry, one of those closets that you shove and close quickly and a sink of dishes. I've lost my discipline. I've also discovered that I'm a mess (and the house) without it. So I'm back to lists and schedules, affective immediately! I'm tired of being a flounder fillet,  just tired of it.

During morning yoga practice, someone is always keeping a sharp eye on me. I'd rather it be his eyes then his claws. It's really hard to be in downward-facing-dog and have your ponytail attacked!

Today that basket has only one handle. Soon I need to find another trash-basket to fit in the coffee table and hope that it'll fair a better life.
You know our dogs haven't been as destructive as this sweet kitty. He has torn apart more baskets, toys, tassels and more cups have been knocked over than I've ever known. Every day he knocks something down.  You should see my roll of batting!  Just saying, he's a punk! I should also warn you about gibberish emails from me. It hasn't happened yet but it's just a matter of time. I find him laying on the keyboard all the time. I'll come back into the room and find a page filled with characters. And laptops are an invitation to be stepped on and even more exciting when they beep back.  He's a punk!

Back a month or so back I order some Kaffe for a backing (Thanks Jeanie).

It's a keeper and I love it with my hexies. This will be the brightest quilt I'll have ever made.

Here it is. Isn't it so pretty!? I really, really love it!
Just one complaint about Hancocks, maybe two. I ordered this when it was on sale. I put it in my cart and walked away. I came back later and placed the order. A month later I couldn't remember if I ordered  three yards or three half yards. I stressed till it showed up yesterday. Thank goodness I order three yards which on their site means I ordered 6 units. That confuses me and I'm always second guessing myself.
The second complaint, after placing every order I receive an email a day or two later saying that the fabric is back ordered. That is super annoying! In fact once it didn't come in at all and I ended up ordering the same thing from the Fat Quarter Shoppe. And their shipping was so much faster too! So I'm thinking of cutting Hancocks out of my life. Reconstruction.

Ok, I'm done venting, time to get back to my list!
Take care,
Brandie

Pop of Color

I started with an idea of a Spring linen. I had these pastel squares on off white and even a tan plaid. But they just weren't popping. So I changed it up, drastically.

I pulled out a black and I liked how it looked. It made those colors pop! And I think it makes the linen stand out more too.

The next step for this linen, is to layer it with some batting and a backing and treat it like a quilt.

It's a little quilt, only 32 x 32. I was looking for something quick and small. Something to show almost instant gratification. If I didn't have a bunch of errands and household chores, this would have been quicker. But I had to see the dentist for a cleaning and we really needed groceries and I had to go to a couple of meetings and...
After all that I'm hoping to have some sewing time this weekend, even though I have to take Hubby back to the airport on Sunday and pick him back up on Monday. Just a quick trip for him. I think it takes more time for me to drive home then it takes him to reach his office. We may have to invest in a plane so that I can have more sewing time! Kidding

Have a wonderful fabric filled weekend!
Take care, Brandie

Rethink

This weekend Hubby and I went antiquing. We didn't find anything too exciting but I saw and bought this cute little linen. I thought the baskets in each corner were very cute.

I also thought that since the first day of Spring was Yesterday that I'd work on a sweet pastel piece. That was my way of calling out the sun. Kind of the opposite of washing my car, I hoped.

I bought this beautiful color wheel (I messed it up looking at the light to dark strips) thinking it would be perfect to high light those baskets and flowers.

I cut up tiny little squares. (1 3/4 squares)

Than I made a strip to "test" with.
That's when it hit me, too plain.
So I went back to the drawing board, well graph paper and a camera.
Did you know that taking a picture of your quilt (in process) will let you see your quilt with a different eye? It will show you something you may not see. I was too focused on my fabrics and not necessarily on how they looked with the linen.
So I'm off on a different path, except for the diamonds, I like those.

Take care, Brandie