QoV into rows, tutorial on sage butter, fish quilt #2 done, Anne

Tuesday (10/30) was errand day….we hit the dentist first to finally get my permanent crown attached, got an adjustment at the chiro, hit ALDI’s for a few groceries, the bank and Lil’ Casear’s for PIZZA PIZZA  :~).  

We didn’t get home until 2 PM and Michael and Cookie went for a short walk.  It was just a beautiful day and all of the furry kids and Michael spent time on the lanair after that, soaking up the sun and warmth  :~).  I was in my studio, quilting away on fish quilt #2, and continuing to sew together a new QoV. 

I really pushed myself on the fish quilts because it never rains, but it pours!!!  I didn’t have any customer quilts, so loaded up the fish quilts….yesterday I took in one customer quilt…today when we got home from errands I had a message about another one on the phone…I came downstairs and had an email about 2 more!!!!  

Michael put out butter on the lanair in the sun for me so that I could eventually make my sage butter for the year....here's how:

start with softened butter

and lots of sage

chop up the sage and mix it into the butter

scoop out onto cookie sheet to flash freeze, then put in a zip lock bag

Michael left after 6 PM to pick up Larry to go and see LONDON”S FALLING, and by the time Anne came over to knit and solve the problems of the world  :~), I had finished the quilting on the second fish quilt: 

and got all of my QoV blocks sewn together into rows:

if you see any mistakes....call me now!!

The babies stayed in the living room with us:

Anne is knitting on a throw for her home:  

and I just sat and talked!

ham/egg cups, new quilt basted, furry babies, Michael's newest card

It was another 6 AM morning for us on Monday (10/29).  Michael had an early tee time, so I stayed out of his way in the kitchen and got my emails read, my blog out, and 2 rows of quilting done before heading upstairs at 7:30.  

I decided to spend some time and make up a bunch of ham/egg cups for my upcoming breakfasts, so that’s what I did:  

prepping the broccoli

the cheese

and the eggs

I put ham slices in a muffin tin, then loaded in the broccoli

and added in some cheese

I poured in the eggs and baked for 20 minutes....voila:

They were YUMMY!!

After I got them all made (and ate 2!), I headed back down to my studio and by lunchtime my quilting was done on the first fish quilt:  

I got the second one basted:

I left only about an inch between quilts 1 and 2

and stopped to talk with Bev and take in another quilt from her.  After that I  headed back to my studio to begin quilting again.  While that was happening, I started to sew together the Quilt of Valor that is on my design wall.  

When my honey came home from golf, he spent time on the lanair with our furry babies:

Lucy - trying to look as long/tall as she possibly can!

and Ethel doing the same

Finally at 4:30 I crashed and took a quick nap.  I generally wake up between 3 AM and 5 AM every day…then I proceed to toss and turn and toss and turn and not get back to sleep.  Today and yesterday I finally said to myself “GET UP!” and so I did.  I figured I’d need a nap at some point, and this afternoon was the time.  This is a much better way to handle it than staying in bed, not sleeping, mind going a THOUSAND miles an hour!  After that we both had soup and cornbread for dinner and watched TV (and strung beads) for the rest of the evening.

My honey was excited about all of the items I donated to LASS to raise money for the animal shelter and he was wondering what he could do.  Do you think these cards with his pen & ink drawings would sell to animal lovers?

Isn't he incredibly talented???

first fish quilt loaded up, perfect grilled cheese

Michael was up at 6 AM Sunday (10/28) and I followed closely behind at 6:30.  It took me until 7:30 to get my blog out and get through all of my other computer stuff, then I headed back upstairs to say good-bye to my honey and clean up the kitchen a bit.  After that I got the first quilt basted, 

isn't this octopus just perfect?

and spent time setting up the program and winding my bobbins.  I paused around 11:30 to make the perfect grilled cheese sandwich for my brunch: 

I spent the rest of the day quilting on the first fish quilt 

and getting 14 yards of binding made for both of the quilts I am doing:

I also had time to straighten up my studio and look through patterns for future projects.  It was wonderful to feel like I didn’t have any pressing projects and could spend time doing those things.  

Michael and I never got around to having dinner…Michael made popcorn for both of us in the late afternoon and that carried us through until bedtime!

***MMR – Michael’s Movie Reviews***

BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE – starring Jeff Bridges, Jon Hamm, Chris Helmsworth.  This was written and directed by someone I don’t know, but having the flavor of Quentin Tarantino.  Sic strangers arriving at a once luxurious, but now run down hotel, each with their own ‘shady’ pasts, all coming together in one climax that will get your heart racing!!  Not for the faint of heart as there are shootings, stabbings and much perversion throughout.  Great acting and good 70’s music make this ‘film noir’ a must see.  I am a big Jeff Bridges fan, so I’m a little prejudiced!  I give it 4 fat quarters out of 5.

FIRST MAN – Ryan Gosling plays Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon.  This is a biography about him.  If you are expecting a history of the space program, you will be disappointed.  The story takes place from 1961 – 1969 and focuses on Armstrong almost exclusively.  His personal life, family, wife and his expertise in being a test pilot are thoroughly explored.  Growing up I was a real ‘space nut’ and followed the NASA programs avidly.  I learned many things from this movie about Armstrong that I did not previously know.  There are great scenes of takeoffs in rockets that put you up close and personal, but they take a back seat to Armstrong’s struggles and the life and death reality of being the ‘First Man’.  I give it 3 fat quarters out of 5.

yoghurt made, Cookie & dad, label done, rainbow braiding done

Saturday (10/27) was a wonderful and relaxing day.  I had yoghurt fermenting overnight, so I got that into grab & go cups for Michael: 

then got MEXICAN CHICKEN SOUP in the crockpot for dinner.  

My honey made oatmeal again for breakfast and had company while he was eating: 

Anne stopped by for a visit and to give us lots of treats!!!  She won a basket at the Vendor Bingo…and it was a kitchen basket…so she gave us cinnamon/dolce coffee syrup, a kitchen towel, a bottle of cinnamon…and a couple of other things I think I’m forgetting  :~).  

I threw the newest baby quilt into the washer, and after drying it’s finally in a gift bag, ready to be given out on Tuesday (isn't this bag cute?):  

I finally got to my studio after NOON, and fired up my embroidery machine to complete a label for a fellow quilter:  

I don’t have any customer quilts for Miss Scarlett, so I headed into the guest bedroom and found 2 Clinton-sized quilt tops that needed to be done.  I got the batting and a double length of backing cut and started to load them up, but didn’t finish before it was time to make cornbread to go with our crockpot soup.  The house smelled heavenly when I went back upstairs, but for some reason I was absolutely exhausted at dinnertime, and my honey hopped in the car and ran to get a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix  :~) (as well as a few other things).  Were they as good as my regular cornbread?  No!  Will I be eternally grateful that he was willing to do that?  You betcha!  

We spent the evening watching TV….I got the first rainbow necklace braiding finished: 

and spent 2-1/2 hours getting only 2 strands (of 8) loaded for the next one.

Cookie, 4th baby quilt totally finished

I got my blog out Friday morning (10/26) and that was about it before Paula picked me up for  a Lifestyle meeting up at the Lodge.  Neither one of us is sure that we will stay on this committee, but it was good to go to the meeting today.  When I got home, I finally had a bit of breakfast, then headed downstairs with my honey.  

I can’t believe that Cookie keeps squishing into the old kitty basket:  

Michael ran a ton of emails while I worked on the baby quilt binding and we were both watching old “CLOSERS”, which we love.  By dinnertime, the quilt (and a label) were totally done:  

I think this quilting pattern is PERFECT!!

And this picture should be called 'but dad, it's ok if you feed me an hour early.....really'!!!

We had leftover meatloaf for dinner and finished up the smurfy gravy  

:~(.  

We watched TV in the evening and I continued to work on my rainbow necklace…I can’t wait to finish it.  Mary Jo (bead woman who has been helping me) stopped by to drop off some finishing hardware and to explain what I should be buying.

A couple people asked about the Carolina Star/snowflakes I donated to raise money for LASS...BG and I fell in love with them and made them several years ago:

And AJ goes to a butterfly exhibit: