Aw, Blog!

Bloggers come and bloggers go, and after 5 years and 352 posts (370 if you want to count the politically incorrect ones that never made the cut), it's time to GIVE IT A REST ALREADY!

I refuse to be one of those bloggers who is reduced to posting endless pictures of the cat lying by the fireplace/stove/bed/table/chair/couch/door/yawning/stretching/grinning/pooping/peeing . . . . . . You've seen my cat, my dog, my house, my car, my snowbanks, my beach, my quilts, and even if you aren't bored with this blog, I sure as hell am, so let's face it, folks, I got nothing (that I want to blog about), so I'm outta here!

I'll still be around, stitching as always.   Just picture me in my plaid jacket and rubber boots in front of a sewing machine - NO, you haven't seen that, nor do you want to, but it IS the locally accepted everyday dress code.  Okay, maybe I do leave the rubber boots at the door, but I have been known to wear the plaid jacket over my PJ's on those chilly mornings.

I've made some great blogger-friends - some I've even met live and in person!  I've kept some other friends up to date on my experiences (HAH - now we'll have to email!)  I do have some ideas for another blog - so maybe - as my career as a quilter twists and turns and evolves,  I just might pop up again.

So, go pour yourself a glass of something that comes in a bottle and lets toast . . . To Bloggers Everywhere. . . . . may they never spill Coke in their keyboards!

Ciao
Maggie

On a Roll!

I've been on serious Lone Star kick lately:

And the rhododendrons are in full bloom - talk about inspiration for a quilter who loves pink!

Have a great week!

Happy Stitching

Maggie

Anyone Seen my Passion?

Maybe it's the change of seasons . . . . or the full moon . . . . or the yard work . . .  or the header I took off the back deck (backwards), but my Drive and Passion have been seriously missing of late.  (As far as the tumble off the deck, I'm fine but am thinking of erecting a shrine to whoever invented Ibuprophen!)  And, what was I doing when I did my back flip?  Well, my back deck had 3 terrible brick and concrete planters - which are now gone - and a really awful  wood box - which I'm in the process of dismantling.  It seemed useless, since I don't heat with wood, so what the heck - as Eleanor Burns would say "Get Rid of It"!  And in the place of all that, we have a nice little spot for my morning coffee.

And there's a spot for my "Witchie-Poo Cauldron".  Don't ask - it came with the house and it makes a decent bird bath.

To add to my angst, Etsy, where I have my online shop has been going through some security ssues that I won't go into, but that have me quite concerned.  So, to avoid putting all my eggs in the Etsy basket, I've been building up an online shop on Zibbet, www.zibbet.com/patchmaker 

Anyways, my joie de vivre has been missing.  Happily, though, it seems to be on its way back.  I sat down with a tote full of bits and pieces - ones that I haven't looked at in probably 4 years - and started putting together colors I wouldn't have considered in the past.  Really, it was just a diversion while waiting for the above mentioned Ibuprophen to kick in, but I seriously am inspired by the results.

Here are the raw materials:

Here's a sampling of the results:  (Yes, I know, it looks just like what I usually make, but I'm not finished with it yet!)

 

And, just in case you think I've been sitting around eating bonbons and watching movies, what I've really been doing is crocheting.  I made one of these little trivets and decided I liked it, so it has been multiplying and morphing and the design process goes on.  This is the original:

 

So that's my news.

Happy Stitching!

Maggie

On the Design Wall April 24th

 

This has been one of my, shall we say, less-productive days, but here's what I've been working on.

 

 

Problem is, now that I have it this far, I don't know where to go from here. . .

 

Here's a bright spot in the day . . . .

It's been pouring rain and really windy all day today here, but these fellows don't seem to mind a bit!

Going to add this to WIP Wednesday at the Needle and Thread Network now.

Happy Stitching!

Maggie

On the Design Wall - April 17

Happy Stitching!

Maggie

Success!

I'm so happy  . . . . This afternoon I managed to re-thread my serger, AND get the tension right, on the first try!  (Does happy dance!)  It hasn't been used in over a year and was totally unthreaded.  If you've ever tried to thread a serger, you know what I mean!

The new and larger sewing room is wonderful, and the best part is - I have room for all my toys!  In Sewing Room Version 1, I only had room for one sewing machine at a time, and it had to share the cutting table.  Now I have four, yup four, machines, all set up at the same time, and today I finished two of these bags:

The other one is a bargello pattern.  They'll be in my Etsy shop in a day or two.

And now, I'm off to bed.  I was so tired this morning that I wanted to go back to bed after my morning walk (and probably should have), but I pushed on.  Now it's almost 9 PM, and it took me three tries to remember where to find my blog, so, Good Night!

Happy Stitching!
Maggie

On the Design Wall - April 10

This is more of a Work in Progress, than an Work on Design Wall Post.  I'm actively working toward having the biggest sewing room I've ever had, and to accomplish this I'm selling some furniture and re-positioning some furniture, and tossing out some "stuff".  Who needs a living room - right???

Here's a sneak peek;  it will be complete when my current sewing table has moved on to a new "forever" home, and I find the 7 ft Harvest Table that I'm on the hunt for.  But, you get the idea . . . . .
If you're expecting a nice, neat, tidy picture, you're talking to the wrong person, though!  I'll post a final picture when it's finished (and maybe a wee bit tidier).

And outside, these little fellows are the first to poke their little heads up:

So . . . . the Beatles broke up 43 years ago today.  OMG, do I feel old!

Happy Stitching!

Maggie