Cancelled appointment means more sewing!

Okay, in reality, I should be doing my taxes. ... and I will. Later. I have to prepare the itemized stuff anyway (the mileage for my doctor visits is deductible...really?).

So, since my portfolio appt is postponed for the 4th time, I'm gonna sew. I have four tops that I need to pin to batting, but two of the backs weren't big enough. I'll extend them, then roll them on pool noodles before sandwiching them. (I'll post photos of this procedure). I did get one quilt pinned, but the other three tops are just 'stuck' to the batting and folded.

I can't believe how long I've had these tops.... they are so old!!! Talk about oUFO' (OLD UnFinished Objects). Will be nice to have drawer space free again (where they lived).

Diamonds in the mud is from March 2010.

This should be a tablecloth, but I'm not sure if I want to make it into a lap quilt.

This was an experiment... (It's selvedge strips sewn onto one half of the floral square so it looks like a half square triangle.

These are only three of the four tops.

New Car for Julie!!

 

Finally, Julie has a new (to her) car. A 2004 Chevy Trailblazer, dark green. $4k.

 Even Kai likes it!

Now my car can be just mine... Not that I minded sharing.....but.

Can God see Through Pockets?

This was a question that was posed by my 6 yr old grandson, Malakai last Sunday.

Ok.
I'll back up....

I babysit him on Sundays if his mom works, and I take him to church. I was trying to get him to give up the iphone (an old one with just game use on it), so he could get his shoes on, do his teeth and get his coat on to leave for church. This wasn't happening... at least, not well. I kept my hand out. You know, the one that is supposed-to-'take it away'-and-you'll-get-it-later kind of hand. And I must admit, he was trying really hard to give up a great excuse that he should be able to still keep it in his possession and get all those 'other things' done. He attempted to slide it into his pocket of his cargo pants, saying "I'll just keep it here, Gramma", as he patted his pocket.

"Uh... no. I don't think so. It isn't going to church." It still wasn't quite coming out of his pocket (my hand was still in the outstretched position).

Then his expression changed. As if he'd been 'enlightened'.... His eyes got a little wider, like he'd figured it out.

"Does God see through pockets?" I think he'd thought that he'd figured out a way to get his way...\

However. Never doubt the look of a determined gramma. I gave him this piercing look and said, "Oh. Yeah. God sees EVERYTHING!"

Still trying...."Even through pockets??!"
"Oh yeah! EVEN through POCKETS!" Full of resignation, he handed it over to me, got his stuff taken care of and we headed out the door to church.

Story over, you think? Not.

As we are in church, standing up singing, there, in the pew in front of us, sat a little girl about his age. (We always sit behind this family, so it's not like he pays much attention to her usually). I noticed what she was doing, but Kai was busy drawing a picture on his Sunday School handouts, so he didn't notice anything until he HEARD it. There she was. She'd pulled out her mom's cell phone and was playing a video game on it (remember, we were standing up, singing and she was sitting back in the pew, behind her parent's focus). Suddenly, it made some music that made Malakai suddenly stop (sharply) and look up at me in horror. He quickly looked over the pew and saw her mom take the phone from her and put it away. With his mouth still wide open, he said to me, "God saw that, didn't he, Gramma?...All I said was, "Oh yeah!, He saw it...." nodding my head. "She's in BIG trouble, huh?", he said. "Oh yeah..."  He just sat back slowly and continued drawing, probably thankful that he didn't try and hide his old phone in his pocket.

What bliss......:-)

Pinterest & PIF (Pay It Forward) or ROAK (Random Act of Kindness)

I've always been the type to do things for others (thanks Mom), but it's always 'random'. And not with any thought prior to doing it. However, I've been... how should I say this?... 'occupied' with a new website called Pinterst.

About Pinterest...: There is something you need to know about this website first. I went there, kicking and screaming (well, not really KICKing and the screams were more like a 'rolling of the eyes and why do I need THIS in my life?' ) kind of attitude, and really didn't know why I've need an online bulletin board. (That's what this is, folks). I was 'invited' by my stepdaughter and a friend at different times, and ignored it. at first. Then I went there and opened an account.

If you haven't been there yet, STOP! Right now. DON'T go there. WAIT!...NOooo..... (oh, well, don't say I didn't warn you...).

It's pretty addictive. Just know that up front. But really, my first thought about it (why I wouldn't need it) was that it's great if you are looking for ideas for a wedding, decorating a room, recipes (but I like going to my recipe site already). But then I realized that I DO rip out ideas from magazines, put them in folders that I sometimes forget where the folder is, or I never get back to looking in the folders, so really. What's the point of my system as it is? Not much, I figure. So I said to myself, I'll just look at other people's 'boards' and see what all the fuss is. BIG Mistake!! What I never knew about this site is that it PULLS you in... leads you to other places (original links where you find valuable information), allows you to learn, and have fun getting ideas that you might never ever see presented the way Pinners present things. It's just wonderful.


Okay. This being said, I saw something on Pinterest that really opened my eyes. One saying under a photo (the photos are what sucks you into the boards) talks about one lady doing random acts of kindness (ROAK) for her 38th birthday. http://mixmingleglow.com/blog/?p=1358

Here is an example of her acts....Well, my 58th birthday was yesterday, and though I'm late trying to do her idea for MY birthday(which, btw, was to do 38 random acts of kindness on her birthday), I thought my favorite brother's 60th birthday is in June. Here's my plan:

I will do 60 random acts of kindness by his birthday as a way of honoring him. I think he would outwardly think this is 'wacky', but inwardly be proud of me for doing this at the same time.

So today, I went off and tried to figure out what to do. Here's the day, so far.
1. After buying a few bagels at a local donut store, I told the man over at the drive-thru window I wanted to pay for the next order up on his screen. Another server heard me and peeked over at the total and said, "It's a big one"..."Like how big?" I asked, "$5.46" . I handed her a $10. When he told the woman in the van, she looked passed him at me and said..."What? Why... uh...?" (I think this is the best part of it-- getting them tongue-tied). I looked at her and said "just a random act of kindness". She thanked me as she drove off, but I loved the second server who poked her head around the corner and said "You'll get that back, ten-fold". I said over my shoulder as I was leaving, "I just did".

2. Filled my mom's best friend's bird-feeder and stuck orange slices for the Baltimore Orioles to feed on.

3. Got a sandwich to go, and as the man at the counter took the next person's order (they went to sit down) while I was waiting for mine, I asked if I could pay for their order. He didn't mind, but I think he thought I knew them (I didn't). When I told him not to let them know until I left, he realized I didn't know them. He just smiled.... (wish I could have seen their faces). Should have hung out around the corner to see him NOT hand them a check.

This, if fun. (although I must admit, I can't afford to do that all the time).

The List is shrinking

There were twenty, yes, 20, items on the list on the sidebar.... it's down to three!

I've even gotten some quilting done, but I'm creating a new list....

I've even gotten some quilting/piecing done. The two quilt tops above were done by Kathy S at our church quilting group, but I designed the layout and put them together.

I finished the Lime HS blocks with my selvedges.This was quick and easy!!

 
 I got a chance to play with the layout of my altar cloth for St Mary's church, but I have still more blocks to make, split and reorganize.And this one, is another completion done by the group and Kathy S.... I get the pleasure to put it together at home. Isn't it cozy? I've decided to name it "Homespun Warmth".

Monday Plan changed...slightly

Okay, the medical insurance issue is being dealt with. I have a letter written (asking for a reconsideration of the premium) and after my broker's scrutiny, I'll make any adjustments needed to the letter and send it along.
In the meantime, I'll finish getting the financials done for my taxes and make arrangements to have them done (at the local senior citizen center) this week.
Hopefully, after that is done, I'll be in the sewing rrom for the rest of the day.

That's the plan.

Oh BTW, I had a slight panic attack when my camera wouldn't open!! well. Actually, it WAS open and wouldn't close!! I took out the camera card so it wouldn't do even stupider things like corrupt the card's memory, and it eventually closed. That's my favorite camera and I really love it.
oh. and mom just called. she's coming for a 'quick' visit.

Can I quilt yet???

Boy, does it seem as though I'm never gonna get to piece anything. Not soon anyway. I have been diligently working on my 'list' (see sidebar), and although I could add things to it, I won't. I've been dealing with getting myself some less expensive medical insurance (isn't that an oxymoron???) and while I've been accepted, they chose to raise the premium by 30%. From $242 a month, to $315. If I figured out my average monthly premium now, (with me paying the complete amounts while on a layoff for ten weeks), I'm really saving $50 a month. I know, that's $600 a yr, but I was hoping for $120 extra a month savings.
I've written a letter (which I'm waiting to see if my ins agent wants to make any corrections before I send it out), and I hope it does some good, but it's kept me too busy NOT QUILTING!!

I also haven't gotten my taxes done, yet, and while I can bring them down to the senior citizen center to have THEM do it, I need to organize all the figures to be put together BEFORE I go there. (AND I may have to do it on a day my hubby is not working).

My goal this week, is to spend MONDAY just sewing!! That's the plan.