Embroidery Machine is Up and Running Again

Cat Picture of the Day…..  It needs some explanation.

I've been sick… bad enough that I worked from home for two days.

Most people who work from home get up in the morning, shower, eat breakfast, and sit at a desk or table.  They have a work routine that is separate from their home routines.

Not me….

I’m lazy

VERY lazy

I had a friend call me with a wake-up call, (no alarms for me!), ran down, grabbed laptop, crawled back into bed and worked while propped up with down pillows.

Lazy and spoiled…..

Work clothes were pajama bottoms with cartoon animals on them and a Captain Crunch t-shirt (I also had peanut butter captain crunch for breakfast)

In my defense, sitting at the kitchen table is actually BAD for me.  I have an elbow issue and it’s not ergo dynamically correct.  I need to have my elbows above my wrists… which they were in bed….

So, here’s the cat picture – they are helping me.

Glass

I’m getting anxious!  I haven’t picked my things up from the kiln yet!  It’s been two weeks. 

My excuses: 

• Two Fridays ago – didn't go to open studio because I was sick.  Barely made it through work.  I left at 4:30, came home, slept until 8 and went to dinner with Ana.  That dinner each week is more important than anything else
• Last Friday – Chris’s Christmas party. 

The Party

Let’s talk about the party.  There’s actually nothing hobby related to it, so it really has no place in this blogs…

But, my enjoyment is one of my hobbies…..

As an empty nester, I have discovered going to a spa regularly, tanning, working on my thighs… etc…

So – I’m my own hobby!

Also, my hubby is my hobby…. A serious hobby….!

One of the things at the party was a photo booth.  They've come a long way from the 75 cent machines at the arcades that we used to take the kids to.  But, same concept – take amusing pictures of yourselves!  Those were always black and white; now you can choose effects!  Sepia, black and white, color, etc.

I want to rent one and have it at a Christmas party some year!

My husband has a sense of humor and is confident in his masculinity… I love the reindeer ears!

I want to use this for some Christmas Cards:

I also indulged my inner goddess and vamped it up!  Not bad for a 47 year old grandmother!

However, the photo booth award goes to my Son in Law – Eric….. (note - this is from another date, but still hilarious)

 No idea how he did it so quickly!

At least he’s not wearing his boots…..

Fabric 

Scrap Tamers

Today was scrap tamers.  I got caught up on my mystery last weekend at the QQ mini retreat so I felt confident going.  I’m getting a little excited about it….. We've had enough clues now so we have some pieces and I’m trying to imagine what it might be.

The currently monthly Marti and Me pattern (part of the Scrap tamers club) is a patter with a lot of half square triangles.  I might do it just to use up a bunch of squares that I have collected.

Fabric for Lincoln’s challenge

One of the special extra patterns in the “Jo’s Little Women” club of this year was an original pattern by Anne Marie at Glad’s called “Lincoln’s Challenge”.  I cannot show you any pictures on it because she is releasing the pattern.  After she does, I will.

Anyway, the pattern called for a bunch of 5 inch squares in a color way/pattern set.  I chose to use a charm pack from Tonka – batiks.  I actually reversed her color recommendations.  Where she has lights, I did darks and where she did darks – lights.

I absolutely LOVED the end result.  It’s a gorgeous small quilt.

Then, in browsing my favorite quilting sites, I found the layer cakes (10 inch squares) for the same fabric collection.  So, my plan is to make the quilt again, but with the 10 inch squares in place of the 5 inch.  This will effectively make the quilt four times bigger, and with some borders and/or extra blocks, be a decent sized to use on a bed!

I couldn't find some of the other fabrics used in it, but have ones that are VERY close. 

I’m excited….

Now I just need time.

Secret Projects

Still working on my secret projects.  I will post when I get things done and delivered!

Embroidery

My big project of the week was getting my embroidery machine up and running again.  There was nothing wrong with it; I just have too many hobbies and not enough time.

• Three weeks ago, my friend Cathy’s sister asked me to do some embroidery on a quilt for her grandson.
• I’m overdue with doing name tags for my quilt group
• Last week, Nancy asked me to make some more baptismal clothes for the church….

That’s the one that did it… threw me over the edge.

I’m on a mission from God.

(Ten points if you can name the movie, twenty for the actor)

It wasn't hard to get the machine going again… I just had to remember the menus on the screen and get out the strong cheater glasses for threading those TWELVE needles!

Sue’s Quilt

Here are some pictures of the embroidery that I did for the grandson quilt.

All the embroidery is on the bottom inner border.  The trucks are the same except for the color.  I took a close up picture of the letters in the name.  Since they are so large, I didn't do a simply satin stitch, but did a patterned inner fill with a satin stitch outline.  The file for the name was more stitches than BOTH the trucks!