Egg-cellent Easter!

Happy Easter!

I don't know how long it has been since I last blogged but it seems to me to have been WAY too long. A lot has been going on here as I am sure has been with many of you. Visitors have come and gone, 2 sets. Middle School quarter exams have been taken, soccer tournaments gone to and one quite irritating dog continuously, even after the installation of invisible fence, chased endlessly around the neighborhood.

I was able to get some pictures of the Easter Holiday to share.

Here the kids are dying their Eggs for the Bunny to hide. We had a number of beautiful eggs and the annual brownish-green camo colored egg that comes from dipping said egg in every single dye color. I am truly amazed that they continue to do this year, after year. One would think that the concept would have sunken in, it is always going to come out brown. However, in the true optimism that is childhood they continue to wait for a miracle of color to happen.

Ginger has been pouting the entire week. She is not at all happy about the aforementioned invisible fence. This however does not mean it stops her rampages about the neighborhood, it only adds an element of pain to the adventure. Yes, she has escaped at least 3 times once, digging under the fence in the back. She has become quite the escape artist.

We went out to brunch on Easter Sunday at the new Marina and Beach club we found here. It was a beautifully hot and sunny day with temperatures near 90 degrees. We enjoyed sitting outside and having brunch while listening to the complaints and whines of our children. I am not sure why we bother sometime. We set out to have a nice relaxing day celebrating the holiday, only to have complaints mount in a pile before us. I tried my best to ignore the complaints and enjoy the beautiful day. My efforts were thwarted by the marina packed with people and the slowness of the kitchen. I, being both hungry and annoyed, drilled into my children with all the frustration that motherhood brings with it. I then proceeded to feel guilty for my raging. I fear that in respects to eating out with my children, I too, have the optimism of childhood egg dying and hope that with each outing I will not end up with a brown camo egg.

Congratulations!

Just a quick post to say Congratulations to the LCSC Boys U13 team for taking 2nd place in the Rock Hill Tournament.
The team got to play on the "nice" field. (see above) This was the first time many of them played on astroturf and they have the field burns to show for it. (Mark is #10 running with the ball while being chased by the 3 players in the white jerseys.)

All smiles after 2 days, 4 games and running for nearly 5 hours. Go Mark!

A Thing of Beauty

Well, you can all relax now. My lovely WHITE is back where she belongs. Not only that, but she can sew again!

Woking

I apologize for my lack of blogging this past week. Things have been happening at what seems like warp speed around here. I believe that spring has definitely sprung here. The kids and the dog have had an exorbitant amount of energy and I have been kept busy keeping them busy. Does that even make sense? Anyway. This past week Ginger escaped from the house. We were confronted by what I will only describe as an extremely mentally disturbed and irrational neighbor. Sadly the episode got very ugly. The invisible fence that we had been contemplating had to be done and quickly. Fortunately for me I had lots of help and the work was quickly finished.

Jack working the wire into the ground.

Mark and Jack working quietly together.

me

Grandpa digging.

We now begin the difficult task of convincing Ginger it is truly in her best interest to stay within the flags.

Fabric, Friendship and Fun!

Guess what I got in the mail? TWO Packages! Not just any packages mind you. The best kind of package for a sewing crazed quilter w/o a machine.

I got these, yesterday.

Woohoo. Two quilt tops, complete with sewn backing!

Two bow tied jelly rolls, in lovely muddy shades.

An awesome bobbin holder, can you believe I don't(didn't) own one?, as well as a case of bobbins. Thanks Mary!

Not only did I get this lovely box assortment. I also received my order from Fabric.com. This may not sound that thrilling considering I have NO machine, did I mention this? However, I ordered 108 in fabric backing. No sewing! I think the person who came up with that idea should have a holiday named after them. Happy Quilting!

Quilting

I spent most of Monday morning dusting., that is until I ran out of Pledge. Then I promptly jumped in the shower. With dusting taken care of for the moment, I resumed quilting on the OHIO quilt. This, sadly is the last of the quilts I have that have pieced backings. I had studied the quilt looking for something to quilt on it for over a week. Finally I just jumped. Unsure of where to start I relied mostly on loops. I don't know why but loops are quite calming to me. Perhaps it is the back and forth motion. I have to be quite careful when I do quilt lots of loops, I tend to loose focus and end up quilting myself into a corner. Here's what I did with this quilt.

1. I started with the red border and quilted a leaf and vine, very simply. ( I wanted to do a more complex design. However, since I plan on selling this quilt I could not justify the extensive use of thread that it would require)

2. I quilted stars and meandering loops on the starry border. I tried several angles but the thread and the fabric are too close a match to show up well. It was very difficult to quilt. I wished fervently that I had use of a black light. Check out Ranae Haddadin video tips on you tube. If you're not familiar with her quilting, check out her website at ranaequilts.com. Prepare to be amazed!

3. I used this up and down loop design on the black border. Only after I had quilted this did I realize it looked like a big "M" I apologize to all of you who are OSU fans for even attempting a design that would conjure up images of Michigan.

4. I quilted loops and Ohio through out the center of the motif. I really enjoy this design and have serious trouble placing the Ohio in just the right spots. I only hope this makes up for the absurd use of the M swirly.

Now I am off to cut more fabric in hopes I will someday have a machine to piece it all with.

BTW: I stopped into the machine shop today and the individual there was less than helpful. I had apparently disturbed his chain smoking record as the shop wall a haze of cigarette smoke. When I inquired about the machine he gave me his broadest smile, showing all 8 of his teeth and said politely, "Don't know nothin' bout that ma'am. You'll have to call that number on the sign and ask." Super.

Signs

I am a strong believer in signs. Not the ones on the roads and side streets, although those too have there usefulness. What I am referring to are the signs or clues that can give you that little push towards one destination or another. Well, I don't have to tell you how surprised I was to find this written in the dust on my dining room table! (it reads, "Emma was here") A sign such as this I have never seen. And it's message rang loud and clear. DUST ALREADY!

I am sure you have already surmised that I am not fond of dusting. I don't know why one task bothers me more than another; but dust is not something I typically worry much over. Dirty bathrooms, messy kitchen counters and even dirty fingerprints which cover my doors and windows have a higher rank than dust. It is ironic that the very chore I detest is one in which I should be ever vigilant. You see I am actually allergic to dust. Just going into this room to take this picture made my nose itch. Perhaps my lack of enthusiasm toward dusting is subconsciously due to the symptoms which the substance brings about. What ever the reason I actually take comfort in the fact that when my life is over my obituary will never read. "One of the most fastidious dusters I have ever known."