Wipe That Dirty Look Off Your Face

My ABC's

I have seen this before. I recently saw it on someone else's blog and decided to go ahead and do it too. I promise that I wont send it on to others to do, but I think that it would be fun to learn a thing or two about you all. Here goes:

• A. Attached or Single? attached
• B. Best Friend? My sister, JoAnn
• C. Cake or pie? You mean which one would I eat first? Pie (Pumpkin)
• D. Day of choice? Mother's Day
• E. Essential item? Carmex or Cherry Chap-stick
• F. Favorite color? Yellow...and believe it or not I am not a fan of purple! Shocking!
• G. Gummy bears or worms? Gummy bears...read a prior post.
• H. Hometown? I don't really have one, but if I had to pick...Sherwood, North Dakota
• I. Favorite indulgence? Retreats at The Compass Centre (http://www.compasscentre.com/)
• J. January or July? July in North Dakota and January in Texas!
• K. Kids? Well, O.K., but two more and that's it. (one daughter-12yrs, one son-2yrs)
• L. Life isn’t complete without? my friends, my family, my husband, and coffee.
• M. Marriage date? No, my husband won't let me.
• N. Number of brothers and sisters? Three brothers and Three sisters (I am the oldest)
• O. Oranges or Apples? Apples, unless we are talking about those chocolate orange balls that you whack against the table then cram into your mouth like a squirrel on a 10 day starve.
• P. Phobias? Cockroaches, June bugs, pretty much anything that could land on my face or head and make me do the icky-bug-seizure. give me a snake or rat any day.
• Q. Quotes? "Blessings are like buttons; people seldom notice them until one is missing." This is how I got the name for my blog.
• R. Reasons to smile? "Were going out for dinner, Honey"
• S. Season of choice? I know this is supposed to be a time of the year but I really have to say Cinnamon.
• T. Tag 5 people: I never tag any one...I never like to pressure anyone except my husband.
• U. Unknown fact about me? I have a very strong American Indian background. (Oglala, Sioux) My Grandmothers cousin is Russell Means., you would never guess that because I am also half German-Russian so I am as white as fence primer.
• V. Vegetable? I would prefer to be called 'intelligence-challenged' what? oh...Sweet Potatoes.
• W. Worst habit? Biting my nails...I know, I know...Gross. But I don't smoke. and I don't drink more than a bottle of wine a day.
• X. X-ray or Ultrasound? Lets hope that I don't have to choose.
• Y. Your favorite food? French, Italian, German, Moroccan, and Chocolate.
• Z. Zodiac sign? an out-of-balance Libra...I am a walking oxymoron.

Wow, that was more fun than I have had in two whole hours! Now, I better start learning a thing or two about a few of you out there since I had to lay my heart and soul out there for everyone. Just remember...there is info. and there is TM info.

Nervous Twitch

I really wanted to show pictures of the project that I am working on, but since it is a surprise, I just cannot. I will, however; share with you a picture of one of the blocks that I have made for a quilt that I plan on finishing by my 98th birthday. They say a person who fails to plan, plans to fail, so I had to set an official date. Maybe I should have a countdown bar located in my blog. I will be 35 in October so I really should get working on it. This is one block from the Nearly Insane quilt from the book with the same title by Liz Lois. It measures 6" finished. Yes. That means that the tiny blue diamond that you see in the center is 1/2 inch square and the little triangles surrounding it are smaller. I have decided (in my fragile mentality) that it should be done completely by hand. The block you see above was completely hand pieced. I figured that since I was able to complete this one, I should tackle the hardest one in the book next...it has 229 pieces. I have the hardest part of it done already. Now you all know why I need so much coffee and chocolate...and therapy.

Project of the Day

I am almost finished with the border that I have made for Kathleen, who is one of the famous and talented Wackies. The attached picture is only what the quilt looked like before I got it. Oh, and it is a EQ6 picture. I have added my border to the outside of this one. It is so nice to just throw a quilt into a computer. I have saved so much time and fabric by trying different designs and colors on my virtual design wall. My seam ripper gets some cool-down time too. The border should be completely done tonight (early tomorrow morning) or tomorrow evening. All I have to do is drink a pot of coffee...after cutting the coping border, and sew. Unfortunately, when I finish this one I will not be able to share pictures until Kathleen has seen it, since she reads my blog every now and again. Or I could really mess with her and put one of my EQ6 pictures up showing a border with clown or leprechaun skipping around with candy and pots of gold. O.K. Everybody reading this, don't tell her. I'm gonna do it.

buttoncounter

Baby Steps

If organization is the key, the lock must be around here some place. I usually go through my desk about once a month to clean it off. My brain cannot work with clutter so I need to do this or go insane. If it goes a few months without a good methodical shuffling, I will out of nowhere grab an armful and bring it to the good ol' grill outside and make up a bunch of Smores over the soon to be missing phone numbers of gynecologists and expired coupons to that awesome restaurant that I beg my husband to at least drive by every once and awhile. I have one of those desks that is considered the kitchen desk, but is in the hall by the garage. It is built in, so the outlets are above the desktop on the wall instead of below. The result is a spaghetti pile of cords from all kinds of electronics sitting on my work surface. It is a feng shui disaster. I have decided to make a shelf to cover the mess and to give me my area back so that I can keep my phone, calendar, pen cup and sanity on it...as soon as I find them. I thought about buying one of those cute paperweights, but really it would have to be a brick/bungee-cord contraption to do the trick and I just haven't found one of those in the right color. So, until I get this shelf done, I have promised myself to go through 30 minutes of papers and files a day until I catch up to that utopia that everyone tells me about. Does anyone out there know how to make Smores in that one room that the dishwasher is in? I think I may need that recipe soon.

Ta-Da

I have a feeling that Carol woke in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat from a nightmare. She was probably dreaming that I had decided to keep her round robin quilt for myself. In her dream, I am sleeping like an angel under the most beautiful compass in the county. It is probably hand quilted with intricate feathers and miniature cross-hatching. Maybe even has a label on the back that says "To my wonderful friend, Monica. Love, Carol."

Wow, I guess that would be a nightmare for her. Carol, if you are out there. I promise that I didn't put a stitch of binding on it. It is safe and sound, awaiting its next (freaking awesome, beautiful, monica-made) border. I have my EQ6 program holding on to the border so it will have to be a surprise to all of you when I get that one done. Selling our old house kind of put my quilting, blogging, and potty-training on hold. But now...I am climbing out of the wood works again. Trust me. I have a lot to talk about.