Brain in Gear Does Help

I'm working on putting the white borders on my blue background quilt blocks so I can finally get to Leah Day's machine quilting class. Here I am bobbing up and down like a yo-yo when it dawned on me why was I chain piecing these blocks. Now, you would have thought I might have got this after the first block. Not me, it took me 3 blocks all four sides before my brain engaged. Chain piece the sides, and then do the same to the tops once you trim and press. I really should have taken a nap and maybe this head of mine would have been more functional.

We did accomplish hanging the curtains in the living room today. They look really nice in the window and the color actually works better than I hoped. The hard part was rearranging the cat's window seat temporarily. I have to spend some time researching what will work to keep our old man from putting his claws into them. He has this knack for marking everything. I would have him declawed except at nineteen it is to risky.

At the old house, he was always in and out so he had plenty to sharpen his nails on and never bothered the curtains or the furniture. It is has only been since we moved to New Jersey and I will not let him be an outside cat. It is just to dangerous here with all the traffic. Where we lived in Maine, there was the two neighbors up the road and the mail man except hunting season than we had a few more cars. During that time, I kept my cats inside because some hunters just shoot and look later.

In the Jersey house, the old man has done a number to my office chair and the box spring that I didn't have a bed ruffle on. Once I saw he made it a target, I remedied that and he hasn't touched the bed ruffle. Now, you would think he would use the two scratching posts that are his since our cats are declawed. If  my ex had not been so ornery the old man would have been too.

Does anyone ever use the sprays they advertise? If so which one works better?

I don't know about anyone else but this heat is really getting tiresome. I am so over it. It was ninety eight degrees here at one o'clock. I really miss having the windows open and hearing the birds sing. I am sure they are glad I have kept their birdbath and drinking dishes filled with fresh water several times a day so they have fluids too.

Losing Track of Time

It's been a very busy week and a half since I've had a chance to sit down here and blog.

On the 10th, We took a ride over to Seaside Heights, New Jersey to spend the day at our favorite beach. It is the first time we've been back since Hurricane Sandy. I could not believe the damage that is still very apparent nine months later. There are still houses sitting off their foundations. There are houses that have simply been leveled but the work has not begun if it is going to be. I saw the pictures on the news but seeing it first hand makes your stomach wrench.

I was relieved to see Island Beach State Park fared the storm. the beach and the dunes looked good. It is a beautiful place to spend with your family for six dollars for the car load. They have 2 public beach accesses with life guards, restrooms, changing rooms and concession stands. What more could you ask for. Well, chairs and umbrellas would be sweet but the price would definitely not be the same.

We had been there about six hours when the life guard came over and advised us that a electrical storm was in the area and they needed to clear the beach area. Wow, I hadn't looked up so I never noticed the dark clouds looming over us. We were playing cards inside our sun tent shelter so none of us noticed.

So we packed everything up and walked up to the car. Crazy, we had no more than got inside the car, shut the doors and the heavens let loose. And I mean the heavens, it was a torrential down pour. We were so grateful the life guard spoke to us when he had because lugging home soaking wet beach stuff isn't fun.

Guess I should have looked up at the sky a bit more frequently

The ocean is always soothing to me.

I love watching the gulls soar with the ocean brezes.

We made the drive to Norfolk, Virginia on Friday the 14th.That was a long day in the car with all the traffic, you can tell it is summer season. What a difference in travel time between summer season and winter/spring/fall seasons. In the summer it takes us eight hours to go from here in Jersey to Norfolk, whereas the other seasons it is only five and half hours.

However, the trip is all about the grandson's birthday. CJ turned 9 years old and we couldn't miss spending time with him, celebrating his big day. We did our usual Mexican night, which I enjoy as much as he does. In Norfolk, the El Rodeo is an excellent Mexican restaurant, reasonably priced with the most pleasant wait staff.

Saturday, CJ and I had a movie date. That is something he and I do together each time we visit. We saw Monster's University  which worked out well for me. My head does not do well with a lot of movement on the screen. When CJ and I saw Cars I vomited twice, it was just too much for me. These migraines have changed my life so much.

We kept CJ busy so his parents had time to get everything ready for his party They had a barbecue first and then the awesome Angry Birds cake his Mom got was brought out. Oh, boy was that a good cake. He loved all the presents, his favorite was his own Kindle Fire XL. I have to admit the graphics are amazing. We played this game Bugaboo Math. That game is fun and you learn at the same time. Wicked! I have stubbornly avoided the readers because I love the smell and feel of a book in my hands. Yeah, I know old school.

Sadly, Sunday was another long day in the car. It was unavoidable because of doctor's appointments on Monday. If we could have avoided being outside on Monday we would have it, man it was wicked hot. I watered my garden early Monday morning because we had been gone over the weekend to help it be ready for the heat.

I wish I could say the weather has improved but it has only gotten hotter here. Crazy hot and extremely bad air quality make for difficult times outside. I feel so bad for all the people that do work outside. It takes so much out of you,

On a good note, I've got a chance to catch up on my reading. I am reading Runaway Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini, she is an excellent author. I love how she ties different quilts in to her books.

And speaking of writing, you are not going to believe it but I am in the finals on Writing,com Super Summer Blog Off. Who would have thought that? I am actually enjoying it immensely, I love having daily prompts it really does help me get started each day with my writing. Anyway, not only is this the first time I have ever competed, it is the first time I have made it into the finals.

http://www.writing.com/main/forums/item_id/1940448-Super-Summer-Blog-Off

So needless to say I am excited. Okay, I am wicked excited.

Back on Track

I really struggled grasping y seams with the June block on Block of the Month 2013. I haven't done a Lemoyne star before so I was excited to begin. Then it came to doing it, not so much.
We joined two strips at 2 1/2 wide together. That was easy enough. Then it came to cutting the forty five degree angles and the troubles began. I am new to doing angles most of my work is with squares and half squares until recently where I have learned some new techniques. That is why I did take classes on Craftsy to help me learn new blocks and get some great tips along the way.
I messed up the first cuts because I did put the 45 degree line in the right place before I cut. I watched that part of the video and went back to it again. Then it came to the assembling, I found marking the lines on the cloth so I knew where to stop was really important in making the block work. I also noticed that my 1/4 inch mark did not match my 1/4 foot on my machine. I didn't know that. I double checked my marking on the cloth and then the machine. I found the foot was definitely wider than it was supposed to be. So that might explain why on several other blocks I had trouble.
Well I did finally get it but not before taking it apart five times in different places. I made two new sections because of the bias. I have this bin I am filling for a crazy quilt so in there they went.

This was the block after all the frustration.

This is what my halfway point looks like on the 2013 Craftsy Block of the Month The colors are working out very well on the beige.

 

While I was on a roll I started adding the 2 1/2 inch strips to my 2012 Craftsy Block of the Month quilt so I can begin the machine quilting class with Leah Day. I went back and forth on whether I would do it with black or white. I finally tossed a quarter and white one. Once I had the white I really found the color enhanced my blocks the way I wanted the sashing to do. I am posting several of the blocks so you can see what I mean. I think white makes the blocks pop.

 

I really like the way the white sets this block.

                                               The white here connects the block.

Here it also connects the block.

This block without the white border I really did not like but with the white it works.

Unfortunately this block I still don't like the colors but I do not have enough blue to do another one.

This block is more visual with the white. It was mundane before.

It's funny Amy Gibson of http://www.stitcherydickorydock.com

used the Kona white in her quilt for class and that is the color my borders are making the blocks stand out the way I want.

 

We had these crazy thunder storms on Thursday that made the power flicker during its tirade. Friday morning Purryl kept pacing downstairs on the lower patio area so I went to see what was bothering her. One of my hanging planters had come down in the crazy wind and rain. Unfortunately the hanging planter was filled with impatiens, petunias and vinca. Underneath where it hung were two clay pots with green beans in them. They did not survive the crash. The pots were shattered and the bean plants have several broken branches. I transplanted but not sure if they will survive. The impatiens, petunias and vinca faired much better I replanted them in their plant dish. The hanger though was not salvageable. They just don't make rugged hangers like they used to. Everything seems to be made in China. :(

 

I'm reading this fascinating book called Moonwalking with Einstein. by Joshua Foer. I am enjoying it more than I expected. Originally, I bought it with the intent to improve my memory. Like a lot of self help books you read because you need too but this also quite informative as well as entertaining.