Ecclesiastes 1:9

Happy New Year to All ...

It's been fun reading everyones take on the New Year... their plans,wishes, goals, aspirations and resolves for 2010. For me, I refuse to prematurely conjure up these next 365. My birthday was the 2nd, (51, I can't believe it) so all hits me quick like a brick... and I've just lived through a year that taught me all about plans... yeah, right! Looking back, maybe the biggest lesson I needed to learn... I'm only given a day at a time... what will I make of it ?

If I can hope for anything at all in this New Year, it will be for me to delve deeper into all the things I love... stretch my mind, experience more in THE moment...fess up to illusions.... something I continue to struggle with in trying to be my original self... no matter what, who, when, where or why.....THERE IS NO NEW THING UNDER THE SUN , Ecclesiastes 1:9 Knowing this......all heat is off for 2010.

I haven't been in a quilt store for ever... Now I know why I took these pics when I was shopping with my sis soooo way back when..... living in the" boonies" does have it's drawbacks and my "fixes" are far and betweenxst.

I miss seeing the class quilts on display and the new patterns and vingettes of FQ and what can be done with them. Living in Skanee leaves alot of room for fabric/idea requisition

Novembers Blotto Block for guild meet

I'm gearing myself up to something I've NEVER done before and hardly feel qualified to pull off... in Feb I've been asked to teach what I know about CQ. with the Superior Stitchers.. My "traditional" guild has finally warmed up to what I 've been putting out for show and tell.... way way back here with my needlebook , the fancy top here and my JB block here. I'm apprehensive but I have a big mouth and know that I can carry on about it. I think by days end we may be able to have a block or 2 pieced, LOL! . I'm approaching it more as a sharing kind of thing and plan on taking my vintage quilt, personal samples and some stash to share. I passed out the "supply list last month". How in the heck do you make a supply list for CQ, I'd love to know , LOL !!! I hope to convert a few so I can have some local comrades





I made this for my sis's Christmas present ...commemorating my Dad. It'll fit right in to the family's "Northwoods" decor in Beulah, Dad's ties found their way into several CQ ornaments for others too, (made with a pic of him at the top of Mount Arvon .) I'll show a pic of the one I kept soon . I was lax at photos in December... more into getting things done and shipped South than anything. I kick myself now, oh well. This year's been tough on us all... yank your heart out losses !!!! My Dad, of course, who left the biggest empty spot imaginable, my cousin Bethany who was lifes inspiration for my whole family ( she died a week after Dad....please see her profile to know what I mean) and then just recently my Aunt Ginny. I was a machine making those photo ornies this year but tt was good memories that I put in every stitch.
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Which leaves me to this... my blog is my blog.. I may not have my side lines full of favoites, I may get off topic and not post as often as "I should" but when I'm here I'm sooooo thankful for all of you who are here to read what I have to say... Thank You Everyone for letting me be "Something New Under The Sun"!!!
Jane

No Easy Way to the Big City

On one hand, thanks Henry for keeping the word wild in our wilderness, but on the other hand, you made a 55 mile trip, a 90 mile one. Ohhh, what I'd give to be able to get to Marquette "as the crow flies". See link here to get the story of the road Henry Ford bought

Happy Easter ...Home at Last !!! AMEN

Photo of Easter Cross taken from Yahoo Images

I'll Rise Again YouTube Link

These 4 months past have been the the best and worst of my life and I could kick myself that I didn't write a sentence a day at least... just to look back on it all. No one would ever beleive half the crazy tales anyway ..now to break back into everything the best way I can.....but what was Crazy Here and Now... is Jane in a totally different way

Can't wait to reconnect with all of you that I've MISSSED so much.
There's nothing ever sweeter than ...HOME....

And I am HOME !!!!!! done by Michael Buble

Happy Easter to all!

November TIF and Hermitage...

Sharon is such a pusher of the mind and didn't fail this month with the challenge posted here. Looking around I found several sites which led me to believe that the field of "typography" is wide open and mostly associated with perception via the eye of the beholder. Well , I'm the be-holder for the next month, so I chose this...

When I purchased Carole Samples CQ Templates (which I'm wanting to work more with, along with her Treasury of CQ Stitches book) , she had enclosed a cross stitch stencil as well as 2 monogram stencils of my initials. These turned out to be the perfect base of this months block. Thanks again Carole


I was amazed with myself at what I was able to accomplish yesterday when I put my mind to it. This will be the center motif. It was easy to stitch on the muslin which I had backed with fusible interfacing but the color will definitley clash. I debated using a Kool Aid dye and still may. I'm sure it will color the blue and green stitches... at best an over dyed effect, should I dare?? If you have any input dyeing this at this stage, please let me know what you think. I'll probably piece this up tomorrow and then it will be too late. A thinking woman would have dyed it before stitching but you should know me by now, LOL


I lost my glasses sometime last Friday (frown) and have looked in every possible place for them. I think they're out in the woods...They were the pair prior to my last RX. Well I got out my newest glasses and WOW, COULD I SEE! EVERYTHING CAME IN CLEAR AS A BELL. I loved my old specs because I could see fairly well close up but still wear them without tripping... it's leading me to believe that I'm now (another frown) at the bifocal stage. But I'm loving this new "look" on life and being able to read without holding things at arms length. I started the "New Mercies" book by Sandra Dallas. A slow take off so far, I hope it improves. I see she has a new one coming out next year, Prayers for Sale.


Rox gave me a set of curtains that she needs shortened... the cafe part hemmed up to make another valance. I was looking at the discounted price... way to go Roxanne!! (That's 17.83 not 12.83)

mini vacation begin....

November 4th 2008 - Tuesday

No matter what happens today, I'll do all I can to make this a better country and uphold the ideals of our democracy

Voter #150 at the Arvon Town Hall, and proud to do so

I voted for all the people before me who dreamed the American dream

for those who stood up for the Dream

and in support of all the workers who continue to keep this great country's Dream going

UAW Emblem and UAW strikers images via Yahoo images. Dehass Homestead from Baraga County Historical Photos

You Can Dress Them Up....

but you can't take them anywhere

"Why must you embarrass me with this stupid towel costume again!"

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

One More Crazy Post - Lily vs Jane

Has anyone ever told you that you looked like someone ?????

I get it ALL THE TIME, enough to where I had to see for myself... and guess what ??? It's true...

I look just like Lily Tomlin ....

Thank God I don't look like Sarah Palin

all images taken from Yahoo Image files

Everything But the Kitchen Sink Kind of Post...

Don't any one faint, but I got a block done... (sorry about photo quality here)

All these dinky seams left me with just stitching around some of the portions. Tacking down the center leaf with mono filament thread reminds me of how great it is for its invisibility while at the same time how awful it is to stitch with. There was a bad spot in the orange patch above the leaf where the seam ripped out.. don't ya just love that? A mend necessary, slightly visable but covered well. This will become a Thanksgiving adorn-ament of sorts.

I read so many quilt magazines while gone that I can't tell you where I found this... but I saw a Hospital Gown pattern available through Lazy Girl Designs. Free downloadable PDF patterns here. Child and adult sizes available. I thought of making a few for my dad in some really cool prints. Think he'd like that. I talked to a fellow guild member today and got the lowdown on the meeting I missed. The soldier pillowcases are due at the next meeting. Found a great tutorial here at About.com. Guess I'll do one for each gender. A few of the girls are going to a show in Marquette the first weekend of Nov, so thats something to look forward to for more inspi.

Saw on Sharons B's blog her ideas for the new years challenge. I was a dud at participating in the Stitch Along at SF and I really wanted to work it.... now with TIF coming to close it will be really easy to take that time spent and parlay it over. I'm really bad at multi tasking my creativity and feel smothered into a kind of paralysis when too much is bouncing around. Constantly at work on that one.

Speaking of embroidery (and my dread of separating floss) I saw this little gadget in Quilters Home Magazine. (BTW... the PDF Tuffet Pattern is adorable.) It is a weighted clip that you hook to the end of the floss that spins and allows you to get out the amount of strands you want with out tangeling. Puffinco Thread Separator ,there is a video on the page that demonstrates. I know those clips are in the garage and if I hot glue a rock to it, do you think I'll get the same results? LOL

Trying to make the space more conducive to sewing standard pieced quilt blocks today. My ironing area was always a literal pain in my back and I think I've got it right now. I could always stand it just long enough to make CQ blocks, But enough blocks for a quilt ?? I want to enjoy this eh?... I'm right handed so I set up a low table at a 45 degree angle right next to the machine. Even though it takes up more space, who cares.... I'm in here for the winter duration now. Seems like every year I re-situate things in the home for the winter months. Is it called nesting or simply trying to keep the couch from being set afire by the woodstove?

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Ahh... the stove. Another good thing about winter. The best Christmas present I ever gave Dan was a set of Paula Deens cookbooks. Thank God my metabolism is as such or else....

Popovers and Captain Jacks Corn Chowder was fare for Sundays football game (I won't even touch that subject) Not the most healthful in way of her "calls" for butter but DEE-licious. Her site is full of scrumptious things.

Not able to let him be the best and only chef in the kitchen, I must put out every now and then to save face.... apple pies in autumn are a hands down fav.

I'm trying to search out bread recipes so if anyone has any they would like to share , I would really appreciate it. You can email me through the About Me tab on sidebar.

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And last but not least.... while looking at the photo I'd recently posted with T and C, it looked as if I have no grey. Well, I liked the unintentional photo wizzardry but the truth is....... direct sunlight is very forgiving and some other lights give the geriatric glow. All in all, I think the worst is over and if my timeline is right, it only took 6 1/2 months to get to this tolerable stage where I feel I can see this through with out having a meltdown and shearing it completely off.

It is what it is.... and today I'm okay with all of it and extremely grateful !

Book Game

Taken from Amazon.com


Saw this challenge game on Gayles blog Sparkle Jars .. .. I've seen it before and it sounded like a fun thing to do today....

Page 56 Challenge

Grab the nearest book.*
Open the book to page 56.*
Find the fifth sentence.*
Post the text of the next two to five sentences in your blog along with these instructions.*
Don't dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST.

"It was built open-slatted to let air move through it. Candlelight shone yellow through the slats until I was near enough for the sound of my footsteps to be heard inside. Then the candle was blown out and only the moon shone down. I opened the door and and stepped in. Shelves on one side filled with brown crockery. Milk jugs sitting up to their shoulders in cool water.. The spring rose up from its deep source and smelled of wet earth and the stones at the center of the world."

Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier (Cold Mountain)

I've not read it yet but it looks like it'll be a good one.

The Journey Home ... Part Three

And then there's the shopping where there is shopping...

some Halloween goodies...

a load of wool scraps, floss and what nots. Wendy has bushel baskets of all kinds of scraps. Stuff a bag to overflowing, cotton - 50 cents... wool - $3... man do I know how to stuff those little bags. LOL

more fabric in the way of FQ's, scraps and books for winter reading.

Saw this adorable CQ witches hat at Wendys...

Is this not the cutest Halloween decoration you've ever seen? Pattern is shown here.

A stop at the Oakland County Farmers market, good thing I was traveling by bus...

Football pumpkin

Old English D of the Detroit Tiger baseball logo




Mary Ellen of Forever Summer always has a stand at the Farmers Market and I was out of everything. The "Hippie Chick" scent has become trademark... wish there was scatch and sniff available here.

We did a power shop... Monarch Quilts - Brighton, The Stitchery - Howell, Christinas Quilts - Rochester, Joannes - Waterford, Creative Corner - Romeo. We also hit Salvation Army, Barnes and Noble, Carols Used Books, Greens Consignment, Pet Supplies Plus and Meijers. Aaahhhhh, the fix felt so good.

All the trees are bare and the real first frost happened last night. D kept the house up and as far as I can tell, no viruses are on the computer LOL. D brought little Tasha along when he picked me up... nothing like being smooched to death by a furry pooch who hasn't seen you for awhile and the other 2 knocked me down at the door. There's definately no place like home! But it was good for the soul to be out and about in the big city, inspiration and the fire of new ideas abound as the winter settles in. Now to get caught up with blog reading... see you soon.

Heading Down the Road

Just popped in to say I'm heading south and should be back in 10 days or so. I may be able to get online for a bit while gone and hoping to have lots of pics to show and a story or 2 of my adventure upon return... I'm traveling by bus (first time since I was about 15) and am packing light. A few magazines, 1 good book and 2 small projects. Have a great week all!

PS... I thought I would of had this done, but not, so this is where the "Balance" block leaves off for now, don't ask me what I've been doing besides... obviously not this

Jane