I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaccccccccccccckkkkkkkk

I like posting here rather than Facebook so much better.  It is beyond me sometimes to post there.

I see that I had just left my past job the last time I posted.  I had a long vacation after that and really didn't get much of anything done.  Then I worked at another job, this time part time.  I loved that job until my very much liked supervisor accepted a promotion in the company.  Then the worst happened.  New supervisor that wasn't a supervisor.  ack  After getting in trouble (are we 4 years old here?) for being allergic to her perfume (which she wasn't supposed to be wearing anyway).  My throat started closing, I was almost done with my work for the day, so got done and ran for it.  I did punch out and did everything that I was used to doing.  More stuff happened after that to not just me but others and I decided that I was still a grown up and not a 4 year old, so gathered my stuff and walked.  As it turned out, another person in another department walked out that very same day.  That was a common occurrence there.  We had also found out that she was the OPS manager's best friend.  What??!!??  We had no options.  Enough said.

I have been home again, trying to be retired this time to grow my business and begin my jewelry adventure.

I am trying to figure out how to get photos from my iphone to my email.   When I do, or don't.  I will take new pics from my Fuji and take care of that problem.  J

I am free

Hi all 5 of you out there.  :>)  The post title is a great one for me.  I am no longer working 50 hours a week.  You will never know how relieved I am to say that.  I have been off for a month now and it seems like a few days.  I have been catching up on sleep and resting as much as I can.

I am not fully retired, but am looking for either a part time job or full time (which now seems like part time after working so many hours for a year and a half).  That will help me do some reno work around the house.

I was able to order a great shed and the man and I got it all built and still like each other.  That's a real accomplishment.  ha!  Pictures soon.

I have been doing a little of the following:  reading, spinning, knitting, applique, gardening, organizing, etc.  Cool huh?  I am thrilled.  The first two weeks were so frustrating.  First off, I didn't know what to do with so much time.  I would get up early and do a few things and then crash.  I do still take naps when I want to or when I really can't keep my eyes open.  I am sleeping in until 8am or so every day now and staying up way until 10 or so.  It feels so decadent.

My front yard looks pretty darn good if I say so myself.  Last summer I was lucky to get the lawns mowed.  Now, I am finding actual plants in my garden beds and enjoying all that again.  I still haven't gotten my veg garden redone yet, but by fall it will be done and all ready for spring next year.  That is so exciting!

I will take lots of pictures and post.  It's so nice to be back here.
J

pictures! wahoo

 This is a new sweater started.  Similar color to the Tapestry sweater.  I doubt if I have even talked about these projects on this blog, but have blabbed about them on Ravelry.  This is another rust colored sweater a bit deeper in color than the Tapestry sweater.  This is a Drops pattern 134-55.  Sometimes they name their patterns but not this one.  This is an interesting pattern to knit.  This is the top back piece.  Then the next part is to knit each side that starts middle back and goes around the back piece and to the front and up the front. It will be fun.  The next part is the second back/side/front and then the sleeves.  This is bigger yarn and is faster to knit.  Oh, yeah, Birdie managed to stick her foot into the picture and I didn't even know she was doing that.  See how she points to the fabulous knitting.

Here is the Tapestry sweater.  It's really slow going but a beautiful pattern.  I am almost to the waist.  It's a longer sweater.

That's it for knitting for now.  Now for quilting projects.  We (my applique group that I have been a member of for over 10 years) are working on "Welcome to the North Pole" another Piece'o'Cake pattern from way back when I joined the group.  Then we moved on to other projects and most of us never finished this one.  It's way cute and we are doing it 25% bigger than in the book.  I will embellish the quilt after it's quilted.  There will be all kinds of stuff on this quilt, sequins, beads, braid, buttons, and maybe glitter and fancy paints.

I have gotten some glitter onto this block already and had most of it done years ago.

This block is the next block that I finished.  Way back then, when I had only ever done a small amount of applique, this project scared me to death.  Lots of tiny, tiny pieces to be sewn.  I don't use fusible webbing very often and try not to.  So, I am learning and growing!

Is this not cute?  I don't have the little signs on the different buildings yet, but this one is the Royal Toy Works, the Candy Cane Factory and the Hats & Mittens Shoppe.

The Reindeer Barn.  Talk about tiny pieces.  omg  There is a little N on one of the front feet of the Reindeer on the weather vane.  Finished size of that N is about 3/8" x 3/8"

This is the home of Mr. and Mrs. Claus.  While reorganizing my fabric stash and UFO's I found a whole box of Christmas fabric.  I love this plaid with the gold threads running through it.  I love the pattern and it's wonky windows.  So fun.

This is the Japanese/denim quilt that I finally was able to finish (thanks to friend Malinda the machine quilter).  This was a wedding present for my Nephew and his new Wife.  So, they have been married for 4 or 5 years now, but better late than never.  The Japanese fabrics are really beautiful.  Stamp printed with Indigo in wonderful organic prints.  I couldn't resist naming the quilt "I'm Turning Japanese".  Heh, heh.  It's a big quilt and is meant to be that quilt that's used constantly for years and years and years.

I am thinking now of other stuff to show and tell.  But, will take more pictures and so you need to check back later.  :>)
J

What?

Seems like I have titled more than one post with that title.  I have taken pictures.  Yesiree.  But, they are at home in the camera.  I will get my act together one of these days.

I have been out in the garden moving railroad ties.  And despite them being riddled with ant colonies, they are HEAVY.  I have learned not to use railroad ties for gardens.  The creosote even when very old, will stop anything from growing.  I am redoing my vegetable beds back to flat garden that I can make natural raised beds by shovel and rake.  This makes them movable and I can compost grass clippings, newspapers, etc. on the walkways.  Easier for me, good for the garden.

I ordered seeds from Park.  They have a big sale on right now Website  I used to order from Burpee's a long time ago, but they are EXPENSIVE.  sheesh.  Last year I joined a CSA but they have now overpriced what I got last year.  How much Swiss Chard, Patty Pan squash and Eggplants can one possibly eat?  Me?  Not very many.  The fresh greens were excellent though.

I attended the Helper Spring Retreat this year.  It was so very nice to have Michelle and Al take care of us.  Amazing food as always.  I spun all weekend (3 plus days).  I am almost done with the purple thrums.  yay  Something yummy will follow.  I have lots to choose from. 

Still working 10 hours of overtime a week.  Things are stressful as the project is behind and over budget.  And the project is in process of being turned over to the client.  Did I say stressful?  yah.  I don't know how long I will be here.  Am hoping for not long.  Ready to move along.

Update on the kitty.  Her toe surgery was an adventure.  She was not amused.  But, she is running around like a kitten again.  The toe had to be cut open to remove the rogue toenail.  She endured a "cast" of white tape and then a very modern sticky colored tape of emerald green.  She could walk on it soon after surgery so I am hoping it was healing pain and not pre-surgery pain.  The vet did an amazing job. 

J

Labor Day Holiday Weekend

So happy to have taken a couple of extra days off to total 5 days.  yaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy  It's been so nice to just relax and knit.  I have been doing a few other things and will do some garden stuff tomorrow morning at least and organize some stuff in the garage.

Great Basin Fiber Arts Fair is over for this year.  It was truly wonderful to be inside the Arena at Salt Lake County Equestrian Park this year.  The best part?  No canopies to set up.

To catch up on projects:

The Chocolate Sweater

The Rockefeller Shawl as it is getting Clue 2

I also have been reworking the Ophir Creek yarn sweater:

Ravelled and skeined

5 minutes later after it was steamed

I steam with this fabulous tool

I also finish my skeins that I am to enter in competitions using the steamer.  So slick.  This is a Presto brand Tea Pot.

I had something special happen a couple of weeks ago:

 And:

The only thing I did to make them bloom really was to water them with warm water a couple of times.  Magic.

I have been doing a bit of applique.  I didn't finish the center medallions for the Red Aunt Millies Garden Quilt.  So, I have been cutting tons of little pieces and hand appliqueing them together to form the rounds.  I will post a pic of the quilt top again with all of them.  Blurry!  yikes.

That's it for today.  I think I will be working on the 2011 Civil War quilt tomorrow.  One more set of blocks, then sew the whole center together.  Then, a ton of border blocks.  That will be a project.  Just cutting the pieces will be a marathon, let alone sewing them all.  I think there are 64 blocks?  sheesh

OH!! I almost forgot, I was awarded the Best In Show rosette for my Gray Handspun Bluebird sweater.  I am so happy about that.  I have it entered in the State Fair, so I have my fingers crossed.  When it returns to the house I will take a pic of the finished project.  So proud.

J

omg

I cannot believe it's been so long since I posted.  I tell ya right now, this job I have been working at is for the birds.  I need to have my life back!

I have some eye candy.

This is the Mystery shawl for 2012 from Stephen West on Ravelry.  This is the first clue.  I have reknit this piece almost a couple of times.  I get distracted by tv or by thinking about other stuff I guess.  The darker yarn is Ebony from Fleece Artist.  The background yarn is an Elann.com yarn Dankai Sock It To Me yarn.  It's a singles and I would never have knit socks from it but it's perfect for this project.

This is the other project that has my interest for now:

The pattern is the Fireside Sweater by Amber Allison.  This pattern is also from Ravelry.  Whenever I get bored at work, I look at patterns in the Ravelry library.  Someday I would so love to get some designs out of my head and publish them.  This is one of the fronts.  I have them done and am now on the back of the sweater.  This yarn is the New Zealand Woolpack that I bought from Paradise Fibers.  This yarn is kind of frustrating because there are neps in the singles every foot or so.  ack!!  

Quilting?  Yeah!

This is the 17th block of 20.  I will be sad when these blocks are done, but it's sure been fun.  Our applique group is going to be finishing a project that they were working on when I joined the group a long time ago.

Yup, another Piece'o'cake pattern.  This project is such a kick.  There is glitter, trims, braids, buttons, etc. added for effect.  You can see the glitter that I have added to one fabric.  Welcome To The North Pole

So, that's it for today.  It's the weekend and anything can happen.  :>)

J

Stitch, stitch, stitch

There has been some knitting and stitching going on here in the evenings.  I have been working on the sleeves of the flax colored sweater a bit.  At night I am usually so tired and brain fried that I needed something simple, the sleeves are mostly stockinette stitch.  Easy peasy.

But, mostly I have been back at the Whimsical Garden blocks.  They are so much fun, how can I resist?

This block was kind of different.  I wanted the pink and turquoise flowers to pop and also wanted the basket to take a back seat.  I finally found this print.  Loved it and I think it works.

This fabric is so much fun by itself.  I had ordered the backgrounds from Piece'o'Cake and this was one of the best.  I had chosen a white with blue circles on it for the bird, but didn't like that when I got it sewn on, so changed to this.  The birds look better in a color with a print rather than the opposite.

Quite a few of these blocks have elements that sneak over into the borders that will be added.  It will be fun to do these borders.  They are more like picture frames with a 1/4 inch mock-piping next to the block.  I haven't decided which colors to use yet.  In the pattern, they suggested a gold/yellow next to the block and then different greens for the frames.  I don't know yet.  :>)

I did pick up some new fabrics for the other older version of the civil war series so might be back to that someday too.  So many fun things to work on and not much time.  When this job is over around the end of this year I will work part time if I decide to work very much at all.  Burned out?  yeah.  There is a Phase II to this project and don't know yet what's going  happen as far as people needed for that.  I guess I will find out.  Don't know if I will be interested or offered anything.  If I do work that, it will end the same year I can retire and not work anymore.  Something to think about.

I have also been spinning!  It's been awhile but am finally getting to the pile of fiber in the living room that has to be spun and not hidden away in the stash downstairs.  My imposed rule.  What I have been spinning is a pink/purple/orange alpaca that came from Altamist Alpacas.  I was thinking that I had too much of it, but as it turns out is easy to spin.  I have one bobbin done and am working on the second one.  All this using the Louet bobbins that hold 8 ounces.  :>)  Sometimes my eyes are bigger than my desire to spin?  stomach?  ha!

A bit blurry, but you get the idea.  Really pretty, it will be fun to ply it and then make some fingerless mitts to keep my hands warm at work.  The fiber:

Pretty eh?

The wind is really blasting today.  It's also very warm out there. Supposed to be in the 80's.  Ugh, too soon I say for that heat.  A good day to stay inside and just play.  I am headed to the sewing machine to work on some civil war blocks.  I still have 3 more months to get done and then the never ending border of blocks (68 of them, yeah, 68 12 inch blocks).  

Party on friends.
J