Blah Blah

There hasn't been a lot of sewing going but just enough to whet my appetite.

Guild blocks. Now to fill them with ?

Proof that I haven't been lying around watching TV and eating chocolates. Which I haven't been doing either of. I finished the 2 seasons of Downton Abbey and that has been the only thing I've actually used the TV for.
And I have no chocolate because if I did, I'd eat them! I'm still trying to keep up with my new years resolution and be healthier, mind and body.
I've spent a bunch of my time ferrying bio-mom around to appointments. Not really good for the healthy mind or healthy lungs either. How many times does a DR have to tell her that smoking is bad!?
She said to me the other day, "If smoking is so bad, they should warn you". I kid you not! And that wasn't the first time she has said this to me!
I think I did pretty good not screaming at her, but taking her pack of cigarettes out and showing her the warning on it. But I did scream plenty when I came home, poor Hubby, he gets more ear abuse then the people who deserve it.

BFF's birthday was this weekend and I whipped up a little something for her.
She collects teapot and loves tea, so when Jeanie sent me this cute tea cup fabric, I knew that it would be perfect as acute coaster-trivet-mug rug.

After pulling out some scraps, this is what I came up with. It rather like it.

And there is always the cat wrangling going on over here. On Friday this big guy will be 8 months old.

Remember back when he was this small?

The trash basket is still one of his favorite places to hide and sleep.

But now when he sleeps in it, there's no room for the boogie rags!

I'm still working on my hexies, slowly. But I will finish them this time! I'm on 17, that leaves 35 to go. Not to bad. It seems achievable. I'll just have to find another British series on Netflix.

And speaking of British TV, Hubby has pick a name and it's Teri!
So I will be send those DVDs off to Teri as soon as I hear back from her.

Thanks for stopping by and listening to my rambles.
Take care, Brandie

Boxes

These hexies are becoming an obsession. I just want to sit and stitch them up. That's all I want to do. Of course all the snow yesterday may have had something to do with that.

I finished the second row while waiting for yesterdays appointment.
I didn't complete as much beyond that row, but I'm still carrying on.

I received a package in the mail that will help. Fellow blogger Jeanie, sent me season 1 and 2 of Downton Abbey! Plus an applique DVD by Elly Sienkiewicz, master of the applique.

Jeanie stuck so much in that package. There was tea bags, little fabric cubes and a beautiful piece of fabric with tea cups. It was like a tea party in a box!
But the gift didn't stop there. It was fun for Dorian too.

He loves boxes! I think he thinks the mailman, UPS and Fedex bring him boxes. And if they have those bags of air, well he's just thrilled! Those bags of air or bubbles become his favorite toy. Until they go flat. That's when I go around gathering them up and throw them away.

It has gotten so bad, that we have to open boxes in a closed room because we don't want to lose something important.

Last week Hubby received a huge load of boxes for his new job.
He is meticulous about keeping track of what was in what box and so on. And with Dorians help it isn't easy. Dorian stole a bubble wrap sheet and tried to steal a mouse (that chord was too enticing).
But Jeanie sent him his own special box, all for him.
Thank you Jeanie! You how to way to our hearts!

Unfortunately it's time to finish my chores. So I much go and finish them before I sit, stitch and watch DA.
Oh and speaking of Downton Abbey, Jeanie told me to pass these DVDs on. So if you are interested, let me know. I'm not sure when I'll be done with them but I'll keep you posted, probably next week.

Take care, Brandie

Grumpy

Yesterdays progress.

The beginning of the second row.

I finished all the hexies last night but I have yet to attach them. That's todays goal.

I spent several hours waiting for an appointment yesterday, during which I found that it takes about an hour for the more pieced hexies. Unfortunately, I only prepped one hexie as I assumed that it wouldn't be a 3 1/2 hour wait.
Today I get to do the same thing over. Which makes me kind of grumpy.
Then It started snowing! Now I'm even grumpier!
I may poke someone with my needle in a passive aggressive fit.

Grumpy in Paradise,
Brandie

Spot of Tea

Much of the weekend was consumed with tea (English Breakfast), paper piecing (also English) and  British television.
Hubby bought me a new teapot to replace my Grandmothers which is looking frail and developing several new crackles in it's finish.

Isn't it the cutest teapot ever! And it even matches my favorite mug. More importantly, it makes a good pot of tea. Quite a bit of tea, 10 cups actually. Enough tea to keep me hydrated all day.

While drinking tea, I was sewing away on my hexies. First one, then another.

Until I had finished all of row 1. But just notice if you will, how I have them connected now. This is how I thought I had sketched out the layout.

But don't you know that it was wrong. After attaching all the hexies together, I then pulled out the sketch and discovered my problem.

It's it funny how un-sewing takes less time the the actual sewing?
Then I started over, drafted my linking triangles and sewed them all the correct way.
Row 1. But I've already started row 2 and it keeps looking better.
Did I just say that? I did and I really mean it. I really like it all together. I may not like each hexie but I like them all sewn together.
Who knows, this could become my favorite quilt!

I just have one question to anyone out there who has done English paper piecing.
When do I remove the papers?

Time for me to start the day, so I much leave you till tomorrow.
Take care, Brandie

Routine

Just sitting and waiting hasn't been good for my hand work. I would have thought that it was but I wasn't taking into consideration the emotional side. So while I was away I hardly lifted my needle.
But now that I'm back home I am making up for lost time.

Dorian is holding down my fabrics to keep them from blowing away, apparently

The red and white hexies were just too boring. So I had planned to remake them.
Here is my first bright and colorful hexie. Quite a difference!

The plan now is to use red, Orange, pink and purple. The background fabric that the hexie is laying on will be the linking constant throughout the quilt.
I'm hoping to complete a row each week. First week, 7 hexies. Second week, 6 hexies. And so on.

I also started a new idea.

Blogger likes to mess with me and rearrange my photos after they import!
My new idea using a few of my new reds that I recently ordered.
I'm just going to take my time with this and see where it goes. So far so good. I'm liking the color combo. It sure seems dull compared to these new hexies, but it's still me.

Now back to hexie two.

No one can say these are boring!
These are great fun to work on in front of the TV.
They are quite easy. The hardest part is choosing fabrics. The actually sewing doesn't take much time at all.
I turned on Netflix and was looking for something to listen to. You know, something to hear and not necessarily watch.
I've heard a lot of talk about Downton Abbey and I had watched a few but I just wasn't into it. Maybe because I was watching mid season and didn't know the characters yet.
Anyway, I turned it on and started listening. before I knew what happened (it may be that I related to Mary) I was hooked.
I finally turned it off about 10:30 last night. Of course that doesn't mean the fur babies sleep in any later either. But I may have to catch up with Mary before I have a nap.

Take care, Brandie

Return

I'm back home where the sun shines and the temperature is above 35 degrees.

My brother is out of the hospital and hopefully sleeping better at home. He has a long road of recovery with another surgery in 3 months.
He will continue to have bi-annual exams and hopefully it'll be many more years till the next big surgery.

I'm glad to be home in my comfort zone. Maybe now I'll manage to get some sewing done. I was too wound up to sew while in the hospital and too tired once I got back to my room. I'm glad to be back in my own routine.

Thank you all for the prayers and virtual hugs, they were greatly appreciated.

Thank you, Brandie

The morning after

I think it's Wednesday. Am I right?
Well anyway, it's the morning after my brothers surgery.
It was a long surgery. We went into the hospital Tuesday morning at 9 to check him in. We were told it was a 4 hour surgery. After they prepped him for two hours and gave him a spinal epidural, we finally picked our butts up and started moving.
(I don't mean to make this sound like its all about me, but this is my version.
The girlfriend was able to make it from Spokane. But she has Cystic Fibrosis and she herself has health problems. )
So we found a restaurant with 500 feet to have lunch and wait.
Then we waited some more.
The Dr called us twice to say " about two hour hours, but it's all OK."
At some point I was too anxious and with some gentle prodding from Humble Quilts Lori, I got up and out and walked up to Nob Hill. Did you hear that? I said, Nob Hill. Does that mean I've arrived?

Anyhow, about 10:15 last night we finally got in to see my little brother.
Do you think his height had anything to do with the length of his surgery and or the length of his large and small intestines?
(Oh by the way, his surgery was a total colectomy. His disease is called F A P. look it up if you really want to know. )

He was really slow and a little drugged but the best part, he's alive. I say this with tears in my eyes because I'm so happy. He manned up and did this and I'm so proud of him for doing it!
He has a long road of recovery but he can do it!

So there's a brief update.
Time to get dressed and return to the hospital.
Oh and today, I will be meeting Humble Lori. How wonderful of her to come up here to meet me. But I may cry on her and blubber all through lunch because I'm a ball of emotions and they are all right at the surface. I feel like a tick ready to pop.

Take care ladies!
Brandie

Oh, and here's a picture from the top of Nob Hill.

...

 There has been a lot of this going on around here. And I don't mean quilting.
I've barely touched my machine all week. I'm hugely distracted.
I found out last week that my little (6ft 5) brother is has going in for major surgery this next Tuesday.
I'm having emotional issues that are keeping me distracted and incapable of doing much of anything.

I only thing I've accomplished was packing up my hexies. Will I even be able to do this as I wait in a hospital waiting room? We shall see.

I leave early Monday morning to make my way north to Portland Oregon.
I'm probably not going to be around much next week.

Take care and Please keep us in your prayers,
Brandie