This n That #7

I'm getting ready to go to Philadelphia to the Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza,and I can't wait!
So much to do before then!
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I'm planning to redesign my main website soon, so that should be completed by the end of the month.
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I have a Halloween costume to plan, and I'm expecting this to take up a good chunk of September and October's sewing time.
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My sister and I attended the Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago this past weekend, and we both got come crafty mojo. Not many booths selling what we are looking for however.... Sublime Stitching, her favorite, was not there. There were barely any quilts. I did see some bloggers that I follow, like The Small Object, Foundling, and 16 Sparrows. I thought the show was way too heavy on silkscreened t-shirts. In all, it was a good craft show. I bought a fair amount of cool stuff.
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I've been recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism, and my new medication has not leveled out yet, so I have the typical fatigue associated with the disease. I can't wait to get my energy back. Judy Coates Perez has the same thing and recently discussed this on her blog. I may think about switching from synthetic thyroid hormone to natural if I can't get these levels to normalize soon.
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Football season has started, and so has the fall tv seasons. So much to watch and so little time to do it!

This n That #6

Well, it's official. My quilt has been mailed to the Pennsylvania National Quilt show. It's weird having to box and send it off.
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There's no posting of my president's letter this month because it was a call for volunteers to step up and take some of the open committee positions our guild has open. I hope to be back to posting inspirational letters next month.
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I haven't been getting any good sleep lately due to allergies. It's been beautiful outside, and we want to open the windows at night, but my allergies won't let it happen.
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I'm stumped for a theme for September's weekly quilts. As usual, I'll have something by the time the weekend rolls around, but this month has really stumped me.
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I have been jonesing to do some fabric painting and sun dyeing lately, but as I said earlier, the weather has been beautiful, but not sunny nor warm enough for the sun dyeing. Of course, the more I can't do something, the more I want to.
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My cats were sent new toys by my friend Nance, and they are a huge hit. They are filled with catnip and no fluff. My cats are nuts for them. They are Yeowww brand, so if you have a cat, get 'em one of these!

This n That #5

Rumors of my demise were greatly exaggerated, I happened to be in San Diego for the Comic Con International show, also known as the "Nerd Prom". I saw a great many things, and did a lot of fun things, and worked a lot too. It was a good show.
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I just finished reading Johnny Got His Gun, which was a movie and also the subject of Metallica's One video. It's the story of a WWI soldier who loses his face, sight, hearing, legs and arms, and is a prisoner in his own body as his mind works perfectly. It was a quick read, and I actually said "wow" out loud a few times. It's a classic book, if you haven't read it.
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I know, I know, I am way behind on posting the photos of the weekly quilts. Since I had a weekend at home this weekend, I planned to get the site and this blog updated with them...see how that went? :)
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My first month as Riverwalk Quilter's Guild president has had a few moments of drama, but I'm expecting the rest of the year to go smoothly.
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I love to write letters almost as much as I love getting them. I do have to say getting them eeks out ahead in the "love" dept. but I still love to sit down and pen a few letters, which I did last night.
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I bought "The Art of Manipulating Fabric" which is so insanely good, and I CANNOT wait to try some of the tricks out on my quilts. I LOVE the look of some of these "multiple technique" works, though the originals were all done in muslin. I wonder how some of this would look in colors. I have a few ideas, and would like to try some out as weekly quilts, maybe even in August, as I haven't picked a theme yet.

This n That #4

I spent the July 4th weekend doing some quilting and catching up from being out of town recently. It was really nice.
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I've been trying to figure out what to work on next, and when exactly the time will free up to do it all. I have a few ideas about the next large quilt. I'm pretty excited about them.
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We got new chairs for our library and I've been enjoying the space with some crochet doily coasters that are in a pattern book I brought back with me from DH's grandmother. The coasters range from easy to hard, and I'm sticking towards the easy ones. But I have been enjoying making them, and can make one in a couple of hours, so they fit the bill for the time spent in the room.
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I've been drawn to embroidery patterns lately, which is strange, because I have no real desire to start major embroidery projects. I do like to look at them finished, and even bought a pattern or two that I should finish before buying any more. I do love the look of the Crabapple Hill Studio items, though...
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My garden outside my work window is finally underway, though it's a bit too late in the year to buy the roses and peonies I want. But we put the weed fabric down and partially mulched it. It's a start!! This bunny was hanging around for quite a while when the weeds were high.

This n That #2

I like the idea of the "this n that" blog posts... It keeps me in the habit of blogging as I come up with ideas, and I have to admit, I like blogs that update often.
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So I'm trying to decide "where this whole crazy art train is going". See my poll over there? =====>>>>> Please click on a choice and help me figure out what to do next.

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We had a speaker at guild last night, and while I am happy to have seen her work, I wasn't thrilled with some of the "message" she had to say about art quilts and quilt "artists". If we make quilt art, aren't we all artists? Does it really take art training to be a true artist? I think not....
She also had something slightly negative to say about art quilts that have over the top embellishing. As someone who has made that kind of work in the past, why potentially alienate your audience by dissing it in your lecture?
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it's official... I'm the new president of the Riverwalk Quilt Guild of Naperville IL.
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If you ever clog up your toilet.... (Hey, it happens!), pour a bit of dishwashing liquid in the bowl, let it sit for a bit, plunge a couple of times, and viola! Seriously! I know from experience!
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Made some "glue stamps" but am not too good at stamping with them yet. See below!

This and That

Ever get an idea out of your head, executed, and then find yourself a bit drained to even begin the next project? That's where I am right now. The "big" quilt is done. So now what? The next ideas are forming, but taking their time.
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I am planning a trip to Indianapolis soon with the group from ATCsForAll.com, and I've been feverishly working on ATCs to trade there. I'm super stoked to be taking the various art classes there... And I get to meet all these folks whom I'd only "met" and know virtually.
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I got a netbook, because while I love my Blackberry it doesn't "do" internet the way I need to. Forums, and other sites like that, they don't operate the way they need to for me. So a netbook solves lots of littel travel internet problems for me. This will allow me to keep up with Quilting Arts' Forum, ATCsForAll, plus my various facey-spaces and tweetspots. Now my favorite part will be getting a purse big enough for the netbook. I should make a swanky quilted cover for it.
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I'm also working on a new blog header for up there... It's so bland...

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This is my 250th blog post! It's my goal to post more often now.

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What do you think I should work on (in a meta sense): Patterns for things like the Japanese Dolls and Monsters? Or work on a lecture about my small works to do a local lecture circuit? I put a poll to the right... Give it a try for me?