Feline Friday - 1/31/14

Look familiar?

Does this help?

Are you harboring a famous feline or spokescat?! Do tell!!

HST with the Easy Angle

This is a table runner I made to teach half square triangles with the Easy Angle. I explained the math method (add 7/8") first and and then removing the papers from Thangles and then they were more than ready to learn how to use the ruler. LOL.

I didn't finish the runner, planning to also teach the pillowcase method of finishing a project but they already knew the method. Go figure. I'll just finish it up soon and take it back to the LQS so the next set of 101 students will sign up for 102. Now I need to come up with a 103 class. Any suggestions?

If you haven't picked up an Easy Angle, or the Companion Angle, I highly recommend them both. I probably use my Easy Angle at least once a week.




All y'all have random boxes on your floors for the cats, right?
This Swanson box is perfect for little Midgie to sit in.
=^..^=

Almost Wordless Wednesday

Oi - the colors are way off on this one...

Kinda looks like a strange collection of oranges but I like them. I'll be repeating the orange fabrics (not the BW) but I think I also need to look for more of the orange that matches the border I'll be using so the other oranges act like more of a zinger.

More hexies

At home this morning I started putting a rosette together.

Not wanting get these out of order to pack them up to take to work, I decided to bring this Salt & Pepper block to work today.

And now I best get off the computer and get to working on my hexies :^)

Design Wall Monday - 1/27/14

It turned out I wasn't home much this weekend and when I was home it was pretty much about the hexies...for lack of deciding what else to work on...

I'm still plodding along on my twisted hexies. I'm at a point where I need to join up some of these rosettes to free up half hexie papers to make more rosettes. In reality, I bought more papers but I want to get this batch joined up to see how many more rosettes I need to make a bed sized quilt. I do hope it's a decent amount or I'll have a lot of fussy cut batiks in a box. LOL.

I also started prepping for the 2 weekend retreats run by our LQS next month. I'll be helping/sewing at both the retreats and the store but I have to have projects to work on!

I started by cutting the rest of the 288 diamonds I'll need for the tree skirt that I'm making. Took a little longer than I felt like pending yesterday but it's done and now I can just keep basting. I think I have a whole dozen diamonds basted so far = only 276 more to go!

I'm pretty sure, between the twisted hexies and the diamonds, I'll have plenty of hexies to work on for the retreats and beyond...

Feline Friday - 1/24/14

Hey all Y'all -

I have a secret to tell you. For 3 nights this week Momma let me sleep in the bedroom in my PTU* cuz it was HSMOMFF** outside. I was even a good boy and used the litter box every morning just to surprise her! I didn't even wanna go outside when Momma went to work but she made me. But yesterday she let me stay in the house while she was at work - I wasn't even locked in the PTU - I had FREE REIGN!!!!! I checked out everything while it was just me and the sissies. I discovered that the kitty food was locked in the linen closest and the kitchen door was closed. Oh Well. I did discover a baggie of birthday cookies on the coffee table. I left cookie crumbs everywhere just so she knew it was me but Yummo!

I saved the best for last tho. Momma finally got home at 7pm and went upstairs to change her clothes. After eating I ran back downstairs and snuck up on the dining room table. That's where the basket of pressies is for her giveaways today. You know  what was in there right? A bag of cat nip toys!!!! I quickly tore into the bag and chose a toy for myself. Momma wasn't happy but what could she do at that point? Victory!! Momma let me stay inside again today but I know she made sure there were no more temptations.


Ok - on to the pressies!!!

For the HeLP for Hexie-aholics giveaway, you will remember that the prize included a dark choco bar, a copy of Mickie's new Pieced Hexies Deux and a pieced hexie mug rug. 13 people entered the linky party and Mr Random Dot Org picked #12 as the winner. That would be Adrienne from Ontario, Canada!! She has a Mini Schnauzer but I'll forgive her this once.

For the Feline Friday giveaway, you will remember that the prize included a dark choco bar, Wild West kitty treats, a pieced hexie mug rug and Zorro-tested catnip toys. 6 kitty Momma's entered the linky party and this time Mr Random Dot Org picked #5. That would be for Tucker and little Elsa and their Momma Deb from Minnesotta!!

Congratulations to both of you and be on the lookout for an email from Momma to get your mailing addresses. Momma says to thank everyone who has participated in her linky party giveaways over the last week and to especially thank Mickey for a copy of her new book to give away! It's always fun to see your cats and hexie projects and she appreciates all the Birthday Wishes!

So - what are you pussy cats up to? Is it HSMOMFF where you are?



* PTU = Prisoner Transport Unit
**HSMOMFF = Holy Sugar Mary Mother of God Freakin Freezin!

The last Birthday Party Post

I promise these are the last party pictures.

I neglected to get a prettier picture of the purple hexie sugar cubes so this will have to do. I made this dark purple batch and with the dark sugar that didn't fit in the mold, I added a little more sugar and a tiny bit more purple to get a light purple hexie as well. Each cube is about 1 teaspoon which is equal to 2 cubes bought in the grocery store.

This picture shows Michele on the left who is relatively new to quilting - she must have been concentrating because I can see her tongue in her cheek. LOL. In the back is Morgan who is new to quilting also and it was the first time using her new (purple!) sewing machine. Morgan is the daughter of The Quilter's Daughter owner Claudia, standing to her left. Cathy in the middle and Nadine in the back at the ironing board are both "old hands" who helped the newbies immensely.

To the right is another newbie, Kim, who had borrowed her mother's sewing machine for the day. She had such fun she made two more blocks the day after the party. I don't think her mom is getting her machine back anytime soon! Hey look - I finally got Nadine's face in a picture!

And this is the design that I am going to make with my blocks. I designed it before my copy of Ring Around the Hexies arrived so it is similar - I changed the main block and the borders (ok, I think I changed the borders...can't find a pic of the whole quilt online). I really don't completely understand copyright so I hope this was enough of a change to declare it my own design and post it online. I haven't picked a pieced hexie design yet for the rosettes but it will probably be something from the new book! 

Don't hold your breath on when I will finish this - Just 2 seconds ago I decided it would be fun to take to retreat next month but I am not sure what else I'll be bringing. Y'all know I'll get bored if I only work on 1 project. I suppose I could work on the project I started last year at retreat and you know there will be hexies also :)

Ackckck - I almost forgot - today is the very last day to enter both of my giveaways. You'll need to go back to this post and enter either the Hexie Linky Party or the Feline Friday Linky Party in order to be eligible for prizes. Good Luck!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Tea Tuesday!

Hey y'all - did you go link up for Friday's linky parties yet?
There are prizes but you have to be in it to win it!!

So what's a tea party with out tea foods? I asked each person coming to my party to bring* something tea related and told them to think scones and clotted cream, finger sandwiches or sweets. For anyone that needed I ideas I sent them to my board on the Evil Website.

As is usual, we had way too much food!  I think you'll be able to click on this picture if you want.

I  was worried there wouldn't be enough food so I made:
     chocochip** buttermilk scones (the best scone recipe I've found so far!)
     clotted cream
     roast beef on rye sandwiches
     petit fours with purple ganache and dark choco drizzle.
     I had to empty the drizzle container so I also made choco abstracts to decorate the table.
     I also put out nut and fruit cups. Don't use frozen fruit - I'm just saying.
   
Oh goodness I almost forgot to tell you what I used the hexie silicone mold for - I made purple hexie sugar cubes!!! Bad Sarah for not taking pictures - Come back tomorrow and I'll add one to this post.

Michele brought Chocolates from Sweet Sarah's (a local ice cream/tea/lunch/choco hotspot!)

Nadine made carrot cake bites.

Kim made shortbread thumbprint cookies with homemade cherry jam!

Cathy made pumpkin bread and cranberry sandwiches

Claudia and Gretchen made ham salad and egg salad sandwiches cut with my hexie cookie cutter and pineapple cookies.

We had 4 kinds of tea along with the sugar cubes, milk, honey and lemon slices.

Luckily Mom gave me an antique lemon server for my birthday!

So, now I've made myself hungry all over again! I can't wait to have another tea party!
What's your fav tea party recipe?


*Before you think *I'm* evil to ask people to bring food to my own party; the last time I had a tea party and made everything myself, my friends said next time that they would each love to bring something. This gave me the time to have fun with what I made and look forward to other people's tastes as well.

** Blogger wanted to spell check chocochip but the only option it gave was chocoholic which is pretty much the same thing!

Design Wall Monday - 1/20/14

I'm happy to report that I had a great Birthday Weekend which ended yesterday by lazing on the couch with several furry couch potatoes watching Season 1 of Downton Abbey. Awesome show so I can only hope that Season 2 comes in to the library sooner rather than later.

I've updated Friday's post to show the party favors I made - pieced hexie mugrugs backed with the wools I showed on Friday! The center hexies are all cakes and ice creams which I thought was perfect for a birthday party!

Speaking of Friday's Post ... did you enter either of the linky parties? I hope so because there are giveaways!! Last day to enter is this Thursday...

Michele, Cathy, Morgan, Gretchen, Claudia and Kim
Somehow we missed catching Nadine.

My birthday party was at the LQS on Saturday. I invited several friends, some new to quilting and some were old hands. Each was asked to bring a tea party food item (will share the food tomorrow) and their sewing machines. At the store they each purchased a small kit which would make 2 quilt blocks.

Looks like we have a new Quality Control Officer!

At the end of the party, they kept 1 block and I gave them directions to make a table runner or 2 different quilt designs depending on how many more blocks they wanted to make. 

The other block was signed with a permanent pen and given to me for my birthday! I'm so excited to have a quilt that my friends helped me make. 

Looks like we also have a streaker!

 I didn't bring the picture of the quilt design I am going to use so maybe that will be another post this week - I think all y'all will be tired of my party by weeks end! I will warn you that it has hexies in it, but again, all y'all knew that would happen!

No, I didn't make any of the new pieced hexies yet. I've read thru the book at least 3 times so far but haven't been able to settle on a "first" design. I'll pick one soon enough =^..^=

HeLP for Hexie-aholics **AND** Feline Friday

Today is a very special day...Not only is it HeLP and Feline Friday but it's also my birthday!!!!
Quite the trifecta, eh??!!

Happy Birthday Momma and thanks for the birthday treats this morning!

Because it's my birthday, there will be gifts for YOU, my loyal readers!!
I'm going to do the prizes a little differently. First there will be feline prizes and then there will be hexie prizes. In order to be eligible for either prize, you must link your specific blog post to the correct linky party. Links to blogs in general will be deleted, as will links to the wrong party - please be careful and ask for help if you need it  to link properly or correct a link. A post containing both cats and hexies can be linked to both parties, giving you a chance at each prize. Both linky parties close next Thursday so the felines can announce winners on Friday!

Prizes for my feline friends include Wild West PARTY Mix cat treats, catnip toys and dark chocolate for the feline's Momma.

The prize will also include one of these still-secret pieced hexie projects mugrugs. The photo will be updated next week, after the tea/birthday/quilting party tomorrow.

  

Ta Da!!!!
They are pieced hexie mugrugs with cake and ice cream in the center hexies.
I thought they were very "birthday" - LOL!

Feline Friday Linky Party!



The  HeLP for Hexie-aholics prize will include one of the same still-secret pieced hexie projects mugrugs! It will also include a copy of Mickey's new book!!! When I pre-orderd my copy with the acrylic templates, Mickey wrote back that she would be including a copy for a blog giveaway. We were sooooo close to having the books here on my birthday but alas, they are to be delivered tomorrow. I'm still thrilled to see the new book in time for my party tomorrow and ever thankful to Mickey for her generous donation!

And as every quilter loves...there will also be chocolate.

HeLP for Hexie-aholics Linky Party!




Good Luck my friends and have a great weekend! Make sure you give your felines a hug and work on some hexies or other quilted item. :^)

Almost Wordless Wednesday

Need I say more?
Siri knows me well. LOL!

More pieced hexies

Y'all seemed to enjoy yesterdays peek into my secret project so much I thought I would share another peek. In other words, I have nothing better to show! LOL!
Enjoy!

Boomers and Cogs

Design Wall Monday - 1/13/14

I'm afraid you are going to be very disappointed with today's post because everything I worked on this weekend is a secret until this coming weekend.

The best I can do is show you just a smidgen of what I was working on.

Oh and wait until you see what I do with this!!

Feline Friday - 1/10/14

Midgie here - Yipper I get to use the window box too!  It's a little big for my delicate physique but I wait here for Momma to come home from work every day. Some days it takes forever for her to come home...

Basically, I wanted to show you this...he does it ALL the time. What a dork!

Momma says to tell you not to forget that next week's Feline Friday is a very special day and don't forget to stop on by! See all y'all then!

Hexie BOM

Did any of my hexiologist friends go look up The Hexie Blog block of the month yet?? Did you start or finish your block yet?

I finished mine last night and since I have yet to decide on background fabric, thought I would photograph it out in the yard.

I suppose I should also tell you we are destined for 50F this weekend so all the snow will be gone (again!) shortly. Lets just hope the weather is nice next weekend for my birthday party!!!!

Sadly this is about the extent of my sewing time this week. I still have a few more things to work out in EQ for the LQS and then I can get back to sewing. Maybe my Bernina misses me? LOL. Janet would tell you so...

2014 Reading Challenges

Ok - lets try again ... It's still cold outside and my office building is still struggling to maintain a decent temperature inside but here I am with my warmest sweater. It's kinda silly that for all the doom and gloom predicted we barely got a lick of it; just enough wind to mess with the pilot light again and again.

I haven't thought too much yet about how to structure this linky party. I don't even have a name so I am looking for suggestions. I also know we all have our favorite linky parties and a lot are probably at the beginning or end of the month, Would it be better for y'all to be on, say, the first Tuesday or is a specific date (say the 5th) better? Just let me know in the comments and when I have two seconds I'll make a decision.

As I posted last week, I've set 2 reading challenges for myself and you can always find out where I stand with those challenges by checking the reading page on my blog. Challenge #1 is to read 9 books that have colors in the titles and Challenge #2 is to read books with titles that spell out the 12 months of the year. I'm not much for writing book reviews but I would be happy to answer questions anyone has on books or authors. I stick mostly to mysteries and a lot of times to the same authors/series but as my librarian will tell you - I'll try almost anything :^)

Here is my progress so far this year:
     Heat Lightening by John Sanford (1/4/14)
     Cuckoo's Calling by Galbraith (half done)

Ok, now it's your turn to share - did you pick a reading challenge for yourself? Have you finished a book lately? Even if it's a magazine or quilt book I would love to hear about it because you know I am going to need lots of suggestions this year! Don't have a post to share? List your current book in the comments below. I'm looking forward to seeing the books y'all read!

Change of Plans

So I think most of you know I live in Western NY where we are currently under a blizzard watch.

It's -9 and who knows what the wind chill is. I had yet to see any of the predicted 36 inches of snow so I came to work. The problem is the wind blew out the pilot light and it's only 49F in the building. I relit the furnace but it's gonna take all day to reheat this old bank building so I am taking some work home where I can get out of my winter coat and boots!

Zorro will be happy as I had left him in the PTU for the day.

We'll do the book challenge linky tomorrow...

Design Wall Monday - 1/6/14

Hah - I almost put 2013 in the title!!

I meant to get a better picture of the 14 finished blocks this morning but we had an early rescue call and it slipped my mind in my rush to still get to work on time. Normally I don't go on calls after 6 or 6:30 in the morning but since the new ER opened today at 7am we had a chance of being the first patient and/or ambulance. They had moved a patient over from the old ER but we were still #1 ambulance. LOL! I know it sounds trivial but we have already answered 13 calls this year (12 or 13 more than usual!) so it was a good moment for our tired little crew. See, #13 can be lucky!!

Anyway - this is a representation of the 54-40 blocks that I have finished so far. I've got some other quilting "work" to do for the LQS so I'm not sure how soon I'll get back to them. It feels good to be making progress and they went together sew easy!

For anyone who is stopping in today from either the Design Wall or Celtic Solstice linky parties, you may have missed my post last week on my 2014 reading challenge. I'll be hosting a monthly linky party regarding reading this year. I'll be posting progress on my personal challenges but I will encourage all y'all to post what you have been reading as well. It could be from a challenge or any random book on your night stand - even a new quilt book or magazine. I know I'm always looking for new books or authors and especially with the challenge I am working on I'll need lots of suggestions! I hope you'll stop in tomorrow for the first link up...

Feline Friday - 1/3/14

'Member how Momma was all excited yesterday cuz it was only 8F/-16C??

She takes it back cuz today she's not quite as excited for it to be -2F/-20C (she swears it changed just before she took the picture) plus whatever the wind chill is. Either way it's damn cold and the walk to the post office seemed interminable.

We haven't seen Zorro since yesterday morning so we hope he suckered someone into letting him inside their casa. It should be in the 20s/30s this weekend so maybe he will stop by for some kibbies before it gets frigid again on Monday. If he shows up I promise to share mine - can't vouch for my sissy tho...

No matter what ... You can find me here:

Are all y'all fluffies keeping warm?

Thursday Mashup

HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!

Because what "they" say you do on New Years Day is what you will do all year, I tried to do as much sewing as possible and as little housework as possible. LOL! I am not counting the 2 rescue calls as what I will be doing all year - we know I will but I am in denial, especially given the nature of these 2 particular calls.

I spent a good share of the day working on Celtic Solstice but I'll save that to share on linky Monday.

I did finish up one twisted hexie rosette...This freed up enough half hexie papers to make 3 more of the smaller units.

I think some of you enjoy the photo-bombed shots.

I also finished one Salt & Pepper hexagon. These travel to work easily in my new-to-me tin.

Remember how I just said Tuesday morning that I don't really set goals cuz I am not great at follow thru? And you probably know me well enough to know that I rarely follow thru on BOM projects either. Except when I found this one Tuesday evening I just knew I had to try it out. It's worth a shot, right??!! Basically, Julia is going to post a hexie BOM of the month on the first of each month. She posted a lacy star for January and I decided to do mine in 4 blue-gray fabrics - which I brought to work on during lunch. That means I best finish up this post so I can get to basting. Hopefully I'll have a picture for next week.

Oh and just because I haven't seen this temp in a long time...not sure what the wind chill is but it's supposed to be really low tomorrow. Hopefully Z had the smarts to snuggle into his kitty casa since it's also snowing like the dickens. It's gorgeous but I just can't keep the sidewalk at work cleared. Maybe we should all just go home early today =^..^=