More moving of stuff!

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I've been very busy, moving stuff, shoving stuff, cramming stuff, tossing stuff, organizing stuff, and just about every word you can think of that describes putting a house back in order after it's turned upside down, shook really hard, and set up right again. I've also been trying to get ready for my daughter and grand daughter to move in with me by clearing out two rooms and at the same time getting the house buttoned up for winter with plastic and quilts on the windows.

Just when I had made lots of progress and everything is at least functional.... guess what? It's going to be disorganized again.... today. Awww, gee whiz, you mean I gotta move all this stuff AGAIN? Yup, it's gotta be done so the electrician can put in the new overhead lights? The lights I currently have don't work anymore. They quit working one by one over the last few years. It's finally time to get them replaced. Well, I have been saving change in jars for three or four years to pay for the lights ya know. But gosh, I sure am tired of moving stuff around.

My daughter thinks I'm crazy for wanting everything in the house to be on wheels. This includes beds, tables, dressers, cabinets..... absolutely everything with wheels. Now she understands why. I think the "everything in the house on wheels project" will be put on my winter to do list.

Ok, with all the activity going on, I still managed to work on a quilt. This one.




I'm much farther along than this. Actually, I'm more than half way through the first pass on this one. It's just way too dark in the studio to take another picture right now. Yes, the lines are crooked. It's deliberate. The owner showed me a photo of how he wanted it quilted.

Well heck, nothing will get moved around until I do it so I best get started. Type talking on the computer doesn't get the work done. The electrician is supposed to be here at 8:00 am and be done by the end of the day. We shall see.....

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Oooo! NaNa look, look!

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For over a year I've shown glances at Ladybug's fascination with fabric and quilts. I told you I had a machine quilter in the making. Here's the proof. (big NaNa grin) First time sitting at the quilting machine in the big girl chair. She's not even two years old. Her birthday is in February. Can you see the mischievous little smile?




So you grab it by the horns like this? (no, I didn't show her what to do, she's seen me do it)

Wheeeee.... this thing moves very fast!

I wish my camera batteries were new. I would have done a video of the laughs and giggles as she moved the machine back and forth as well as in circles. This kept her busy for quite a while.... almost 15 minutes. I stopped her only when she tried to mess with the needle. I think she was trying to bring up the bobbin thread. She found the on/off switch and tried to turn it on. I had it turned off at the main switch so no danger there.

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Hmm.... I wonder how young the entries in MQX children's challenge can be? Can I teach her to piece a quilt in time to enter? Naw.... her legs are too short to reach the foot pedal of the domestic machine. (smile) I wonder if I...... Now cut that out, you're moving too fast NaNa.

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Anyone know where I can get a children's toy sewing machine? Maybe there is one online. Christmas is just around the corner ya know. Hmm.... she'll need some sissors... and thread.... and.... (mumbling as I head toward the quilting studio)

A bit of this and that

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The lot next door got cleaned up a bit yesterday. They did just enough that the construction can begin. This is how it looked before.



This is how it looked after the crew finished. It's much better but not really right. See the hanging branches?

This is next to my fence.

See how it was cleaned? Now why couldn't they just finish cleaning next to the fence too?

I guess it's easier for a little ol' lady, with not much income, to get it cleaned out than for 6 young men getting paid to do it. I'll have to see if I can borrow some tools and get my behind out there and do it myself. I'm NOT going to haul it away.... just move it away from the fence. What really irks me is that I loose two feet of my yard because of the trees.

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I did get some quilting done. Not nearly as much as I wanted to do but the house is much cleaner. Especially the fridge.

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I got the stitching on the border of this quilt finished. This is the corner.

This is along the top. It doesn't show up really well but there is two different colors of thread on a pretty blue fabric.

I'm going to do as much as I can on this quilt today because tomorrow is grocery day. I will simply be along for the ride. I spent my grocery money last week while traveling back and forth to the hospital. Fast food stops got it all because I was constantly on the go. I do the driving because my SIL doesn't drive. Thank goodness I have enough food in the house to feed myself for at least 6 months before I would run out.

Need your thoughts today

I need some opinions from my blog friends. If you don't normally go over to my other blog to read would you mind doing it today? Read my post there and let me know what you would do.

This and that

Well now.... another finished quilt. A sampler quilt. I did line dancing on all the blocks.



I did a feather on the sashing and corner stones. A curly vine on the inside sashing and corner stones.

Here's a view from the back.

This is the house block. It looks better with straight lines than it would look with line dancing.

Here's how the line dancing looks on the other blocks.

Another block.

Next I did this little quilt table topper. I did 1/2 inch cross hatching in the center and holly leaves on the pieced border.

Here's a view from the back.

I've had trouble with my mother again. She's getting more combative and very hard to handle. I went to the courthouse to start the paperwork for her to be transferred to another facility. There aren't any nursing homes in Kentucky that deal with her special needs. She will have to be moved to an out of state facility. I've been assured she won't be moved until the staff simply can't handle her anymore. I'm getting the paperwork started so when it's time to move her I won't have to rush to deal with it. As hard as it will be to see her moved out of state...... her health needs are more important than my convenience.

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I got the first reality shock of how it will be to do things without my quilting income. The filing fees at the courthouse were $168. I had to borrow money from my daughter to cover the costs. Yes, its going to be a little rough through a transition period but entirely do able. I'm going to find other ways of earning money.... just not with the constant deadlines and stress of quilting for a living.

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My daughter and I have talked and agreed that she should move back home for awhile. Her lease is up in November so that's when she and Ladybug will be moving here. This will give me enough time to finish up the last of the customer quilts (I already have) and start clearing out the rooms for her and Ladybug. It will take me from now until November to get the house in order so there is room for them. I don't move as fast as I used to.... smile.... not a spring chicken anymore.

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Her goal will be to save enough money to buy a house of her own and at the same time give me the financial help I need to make a transition from professional quilter to.... what? I'm not sure yet. Writer maybe? Artist? Crafter? The possibilities are endless. Ok, time for me to get to work.

This comment was left on my blog today:

YAHOO.Shortcuts.headerID = "ba073c7308a0cf25b00186b318219d50";
Porta Potty and Showers has left a new comment on your post "AIG.... Grrrrr! This quilt is almost finished. I...": Tent cities are breeding grounds for degenerates and thieves... just more programs for people to maintain unmotivated to go out and make something of their lives. They contain drug dealers and whores.

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I've deleted this comment from my blog but thought maybe I should comment back after all. Why? Because the comment made me crack up laughing. I thought it might make others laugh too. I mean really.... look what name they chose to use for theirself.... Porta Potty and Showers.

Ok anonymous..... or should I call you Mr/Ms Porta Potty??? What are you afraid of? That this little old lady might know your mama?

Wow... have I got a news flash for you Mr/Ms Porta Potty! Thieves and whores live everywhere.... not just in tent cities. Actually some hookers earn enough money they can live in penthouses. Probably next door to the thieves who created the financial meltdown and the anonymous blog commenters with nothing better to do than try to upset an old lady. So let me ask you this..... what are you doing about your own lack of motivation? Why are you sitting at a computer making anonymous comments instead of getting yourself a life?

Better watch out Mr/Ms Porta Potty...... God sometimes has a very strange sense of humor. God has an ironic way of opening your eyes to reality by having you live the reality. You could find your own self in one of those tent cities..... or worse.... becoming a hooker to survive. Hmm.... maybe you don't believe in God? Ok, your choice to believe or not.... but let me tell ya.... Lady Luck and Mister Fate also have the same strange, ironic sense of humor that God does.

You have a good evening Mr/Ms Porta Potty

Me? Write a book?


The next quilt is still on the machine. I worked almost 12 hours on it yesterday. I hope to finish the quilting by the end of today.

Over the years I've started writing several books. I have a whole stack of uncompleted manuscripts. I sometimes do come up with very cleaver ideas for books. I love to write even though my grammer or spelling aren't always so great. I love sharing with others my creative ideas. I especially love writing about frugal things a person can do to save money. For example, make cardboard furniture. You should see some of the other ideas I have for crafts from throw away items!

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The very first two books I started writing many, many years ago were about how to live (survive) having the utilities turned off every summer. At the time I was writing them, I knew lots of people who were in the same situation as me. It was in the 1970s. One book was about how to do everyday chores without power and the other was about how to cook frugally. Feeding a family of 6 with only 20 dollars a week.

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The next book I started writing was about container gardening with recycled stuff. Then there were several books I tried writing back in the very early days of machine quilting. I wanted to share what I had learned by trial and error.

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I even tried to write my family history so I could leave it for my kids. I still work on this a little every year or so.

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The trouble with me writing a book is that time passes. I keep a very busy quilting schedule (as you have seen) and it leaves me with very little time for anything else. I try to write whenever I get a small window of time; but, before I can complete a book.... its already done by someone else or its no longer needed.

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When I first learned about blogging I loved the idea! I started right away. The reason I started writing my first blog was to be a simple journal for my decendants to read someday. Then I realized I had instant publication of whatever I write about and instant readers who are interested. No going through a process of submitting to publishers. No rejection letters either. I did some research several years ago about self-publishing. Cleaver ideas and very possible but I needed complete books to self-publish. The second blog was started when I recognized signs the economy was going to start tumbling down much as it had in the 1970s.

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Recently I've seen a need once again for some of my books to be completed. It was the economy that started me writing back in the 1970s. The economy of today is creating a need for what I can share. I see many newly poor looking for ways to survive until the economy picks up again.

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So.... when, when, when, can I find time for dedicated writing to complete a book?

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If I stop quilting long enough to finish writing a book.... how will I pay the bills? What would I tell all the customers who are on the waiting list for the rest of this year? Hmmm.... how do stuggling artists keep the bills paid until their work gets sold?

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I tried once to talk with a financial planner about how I could manage my money while becoming an artist. No one wanted to talk to me for free. Their fees were more than I could pay for a "possible" solution. At the time, I think all I really needed was feedback from somone because the four walls were not coming up with any clever solutions.

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My machine quilting schedule always gets in the way of me becoming a true artist. Whether a writer, a crafter, a portrait artist, or any other desire.... I'm forced to set my ideas aside so the quilting can get done. Speaking of this.... the machine is calling my name. It's time I get in there and finish that quilt.

Taking control of the schedule

I worked with my calendar again. I started with a few lists.

Next I pulled out every quilt I have waiting in the studio. I listed them by size and difficulty. Can you believe that not one of them is scheduled for pantograph quilting? Everything is custom or heirloom. I moved them back into the storage drawers by priority. There are 25 of them.

Then I created tiny post its for all the quilts to be done and for all the activities I need or want to do for the next few months. Why post its instead of writing on the calendar? (smile) So I wouldn't use so many erasers of course. Post its are easily moved around. I was doing too much erasing.

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I put the must do on first followed by the want to do items. Fridays are for shopping and babysitting. I've been taking my SIL every other week. The other Fridays are for my granddaughter to be here. Sundays are usually for me to relax. Saturdays are usually teaching days. You can see I added in the trips I will have to be chauffeur for my brother when he has to go to the doctor. If the day isn't right it will be easy to schuffle the post its around.

Next it was time to add the quilting work. I tried to schedule an easy one next to a difficult one but not very many look like they will be easy to do.

So here is the last of February with it's schedule.

This is what March looks like.

This is what April looks like. If the schedule changes, I just move the post it notes around until it all fits again. For example I have my brother's doctor trip scheduled on my calendar for Wednesday. If his appointment is on a different day then I switch it with one of the quilting days.

I won't bore you with the other months because they are pretty much the same all the way through December. Geeze, the rest of February already needs shuffling because I must go to the courthouse either tomorrow or Wednesday to file for a state appointed guardian for my mother. That will probably use up most of one day which can't be used for quilting or teaching.

Then today I spent about 3 hours ridding my blog of those dreaded attachment sites. If you don't know what I mean.... they are sites that are attached to a blog through the comments and will redirect a reader to the unwanted sites instead of seeing the blog. I had nearly 30 of them on different older posts. It took me a while to locate them all. I've set up the comments to be sent by letter recognition only. This eliminates the automatic mining of my site by undesirable people.

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I did spend a little time relaxing Sunday evening. I painted my cardboard furniture piece. I'm going to put this away for awhile and think about starting another piece. This one was created only to help me remember the steps involved. I made several mistakes in creating it which I won't make in creating the next piece.

The quilt I have on the machine is taking longer than I thought it would. The next one on the machine will be this one. An issue quilt. See the very friendly border?

Ok, I think I best get to bed so I can get an early start in the morning.

Another one is finished



The owner was supposed to be here yesterday to pick it up but didn't make it.







I did a feather swag on the outside border.

Another view of the swag.

I did a feather design on the solid squares and line dancing on the pieced squares and a simple swag design on the inside border.

A view from the back showing the feather design and the inside border swags.

A view from the back of the outside border.

I cooked more of the food from the freezer... in between customer visits. I hope I wasn't too rude when I kept saying "excuse me while I go check the food on the stove" several times. I also cut apart and stored all the cardboard in a back room. If I could only find more time to work with it.

My brother was cleaning up downed tree limbs a few days ago when another branch came down on him. It twisted his knee cap and he will probably have to have surgery to fix it. I'll be his chaufer to the doctor for 6 weeks if he has surgery.

As if I didn't have enough on my schedule already; the nursing home says my mother has to be moved to another facility. They want to send her to northeast Ohio to a nursing home there. They tell me they couldn't find not even one nursing home any closer than that capable of handling her special needs. How on earth am I supposed to go visit her so far away from me??

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Moving her from here to all the way up there is like telling me that I will never see my mother alive again. Geeze, don't those people understand city buses don't travel that far?? Northeast Ohio is not one of the scheduled TARC bus stops. And just how am I supposed to go sign her into a hospital when it's needed? If that nursing home can't take her then she may have to be sent to a state out west someplace.

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In order to find a nursing home closer to me means I will have to put in lots and lots of time on the phone. Time that won't be spent quilting. If I really can't find some place closer then she will have to go where they are equipped to handle her.

Yesterday, I took a look at my waiting list to see which quilt is next. I couldn't make heads or tails out of it. Some that were scheduled to be here in January have just now shown up. Some that are not scheduled until April have shown up already. Some that were due to be finished back in December are still being worked on. Some people that were scheduled for only 1 top decided to bring 3 or 4 instead because they didn't understand how the list works. Some that planned on bringing small quilts brought queen or king size. I found myself thoroughly confused by my own waiting list. Everyone is extremely nice saying... "Do them when you have time." That sounds very nice in theory but the reality is very different.

I took my calendar and worked with it for a couple of hours. I inserted names on the calendar based on the waiting list names and what I have already here in the studio. Hmmm.... I kind of suspected this in January but seeing it on the calendar confirms it. I'm completely booked for the rest of the year; with lots of overtime in the future too. Yes, I do mean all the way through December xmas rush. I couldn't find even one day off for at least 3 months. Awww.... gee whiz.... there has to be time off in there somewhere! I'll have to work with the calendar again because I can't live like that. No one can.

Here are just a few of the things that I have not scheduled on the calendar yet:

Classes at the quilt shop as promised

Classes in private homes as promised

Classes here at my house as promised

Time with my kids and grandkids - this is a definite!

Quilt shows I'd like to attend

Fair attendance days

Holidays

Lunches with friends

Piecing charity quilts

Piecing grandkid quilts

Contest quilts

Machine maintenance

Window quilts and other weatherizing stuff

Visiting my mother

Doctor visits and yearly exams

Yard work

Sick days

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Family chaufering

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Organizing

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Blog posting

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Creating cardboard crafts

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Making rugs

There are many other things I really want time for doing.... but WHEN am I going to do them?? My quilting schedule and waiting list seriously need redesigning! It's not working the way it should. I have to start practicing forming these words more often......

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"No, I'm sorry, I just can't."

Yup, she's gonna be a quilter


Keeping with my goal to "have a life" this weekend; I don't have any finished quilts to show you. I was supposed to spend a day with my daughter but plans had to be changed. She had quite a bit of studying to do for her college class. So I babysit while she went to the library to do some research and study.

When my grandaughter was only a few days old I was holding her in one of those papoose type things while I worked at my machine. She watched very intently. When she was a few weeks old, she was entertained by a quilt in progress hanging on my design wall.

Now that she's a year old and not content to stay in a playpen anymore; she's exploring the studio. Oooo.... NaNa.... lookie what I found!




Like any quilter she wants to play with fabric. Natually, fabric must be layed out or stacked up. (Don't we all do this with our fabrics?)

Look how intently she studies what she's found in the drawers.

I must admit she kept me entertained for quite a long time just watching her examine each piece of fabric she found. She was not quick with any of this. Each piece of fabric was touched and looked at very carefully. She didn't even notice the flash of the camera.

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After Mommie picked her up and it was quiet here again; I played with my cardboard. I had forgotten there is a guild meeting today so that will be today's activities. Tomorrow I'll get back to work on the quilts.

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