No Cancer....Thank God.

Just got news back from the doctor's office that the two biopsies that they took from my forehead were just benign moles, not skin cancer! Yippee..!!  This is good news considering they found (and removed) a squamous cell cancer off my upper chest/lower throat area. And that one didn't heal so well.... so I had a plastic surgeon do the biopsy from my head this time. (Unfortunately, I still have two stitches that haven't dissolved yet.)

Quilting again...and repairs

I have tomorrow off from work, and although I have a doctor's appt in the morning, I plan to sew some pillowcases and work on the rest of the log cabin blocks from our quilting event last weekend. Some were cut a little off, some weren't finished, so that will be good to finish those.

I hope to cut the pillowcases into kits so I can just flat-out SEW! I counted the ones we did, separating them into some for the local shelter (8-10), some for Alycia's No Soldier Forgotten project (8-10) and for children having cancer treatments (Conn-Kerr Cancer-delivered to the CT Children's Medical Center)- 18 so far.

I can't wait for next weekend, when my mom and I will be going to NH for a Heartstrings Sew-In. I should have plenty of foundations cut up for that, too. I ALWAYS have plenty of strings!! Once that event is done, and the next mtg of our church group (Monday), then I think I can 'spare' my sewing machine long enough to have it serviced and repaired (It's burned it's nose...).

I think I first noticed it a while back when threading the needle and I burned my knuckle. I don't dare get into it, but I'll have them do it. I don't want to screw up something worse. I just HATE not having my machine in the sewing room. I suppose I can haul up the old Singer that my aunt bought me (about 40 yrs ago) from the cellar.

Bathroom renovations- Painting DONE!

Since I didn't have to work Friday, I bit the bullet to finish the painting. The oil-based paint (Kilz odorless- and it WAS odorless) went on very nicely. I'm not a taper, because I've taped a room and then found the paint to 'sneak' under the tape, so I go REALLY careful and I also use a tiny paintbrush to fill in the edges around the trim. AND I had to hold UP myglasses doing near the ceiling, because I have bi-focals and it's a b---- to try and focus ABOVE the bi-focal, so I was holding the glasses up high! You'll see when you get to the final color photos.

Here is the first coat of primer... I had them tint the paint to a softer color of what I thought was my final color (or close to it-didn't have the paint swatch with me). I actually like the color, but it won't go with my towels. Actually, looking at this photo makes me think of a robot for some reason. Picasso-style. LOL

It seems to really cover really nicely too. Thanks Home Depot...

Okay, ready for this??....here is the real color going over the primer. Not so sure I like it. (It's intention was for the living room, but I'm not so sure I want ALL the walls to be this dark. We'll see when I go to paint it during layoff (in March)

Okay, it's not too bad. just bright/dark. Much darker/brighter than I've ever done before.

See how picky I get? check out the size of my paintbrush...

But it's done and I now like it, even though if you put the lights on in there at night, the room 'glows'....

Resolution #1 and choices....

Okay, I'm ready to jump right in here.... This will be the UFO I decide to finish first. I don't think I've named this one yet. It was an experiment with a 9-patch, if I remember it correctly. I'll have to ask my Aunt Norma. She explained this block to me over the phone, which she learned in her guild mtg. the lighting on the camera didn't do it justice. It's beautiful jewel colors and the softest of greens. I love the swirls in the border fabric... Maybe "Jewels in the Sandbox".


As you can see, it's already pinned so what its the 'stall' factor, you ask? Well, I guess it was soo close to getting finished that I figured it would be nothing to leave it as it is, and slowly to the ties (I am rethinking the tie mode--- might quilt it by hand. Wait! If I do it by hand, will I think it's more involved and not get to starting that mode??? Probably.... Okay, I'll have to decide by this weekend.)
You see there is a methd to my madness.... If I post it, it will get done.  Maybe I should have added that to my resolutions? ... post it, it will get done...
And really, there is no one home tonight but hubby and I. (I really should be sanding that bathroom wall....). Hmm....

I also have a quilt our church group finished last mtg and I'm wondering if I should use this one for a gentleman at church who is very sick. He has a growth near his spine and may have to see a neurosurgeon. They have already had many numerous difficulties, financially, so maybe this is what I need to bring to church on Sunday. We only have two quilts in the donation pile that could qualify as 'male' quilts. This one is either way. Maybe I'll notify his wife and see if she thinks he'd like this one. the ties are etra long since we make them long enough to tie a prayer into them. They can be taken to doctor visits/hospital procedures where the doctors/ nurses/ visitors can tie a prayer into the knot in the tie. Then the person can get some comfort by the amounts of knots/prayers in each tie. They are called patchwork prayer quilts, but this is really a tied heartstring quilt to me. This was made by Anna R. of our church's quilt group

Bathroom renovations-pre paint

I thought it would be quick to do the bathroom painting in a little cape cod style house, but I was wrong! What I thought could get done by noon on a Friday, turned into a weekend project. (and as of this writing, I'm not finished.)

Here are some pre-shots of the room... Now you must realize this was wallpapered before, so that got stripped off, wallboard (looks like cement board) was repaired and I washed as much of the adhesive off as I could. Ceiling was also repaired and ready for paint (by the contractor).

This shot is a little yellowed...

I applied a enamel based primer before the rose paint... doing the ceiling wasn't too bad and I know with the smoke stains from the previous owner, it may have to have two coats. Not a problem.

This came out okay!

However, when I did the brush strokes around the trim and then went to do the roller work, the paint that had started to dry also started to peel UP! INTO CLUMPS!!

Well, that lead to a call to Home Depot, where I 'boldly' exclaimed my dismay at the quality of the Behr primer. After calming me down, he offered to send someone (supervisor) over to see the wall and what was the primer doing to itself! (Eyebrows raised...hmm!)

When the man saw what was going on and realized I had a cement wallboard, he recommended having me use (at THEIR COST), an oil-based primer, then use my usual paint. He even tried to paint a second coat which is what you see here. I ended up sanding down a 'glump' of paint that rolled up and looked like glue when it dried! As much as I didn't want the mess of oil-based, I took him up on it. (I'm using tray liners and I'm throwing away the liner and the roller when done, so I don't have to have the cleaning mess in the middle of winter (less ventilation, too although I'll run the fan and have the door open). When I got the primer this time, the man in the paint area suggested I get the primer tinted towards my red, and it would be easier to cover. Okay with me! It' nice to see Home Depot is concerned about customer satisfaction. I'm sure in the economy, it's smarter to keep the customers you have.

Quilting resolutions and Paying it Forward

I'm not really good at my own resolutions, so I hesitate to make them here. I continue to post the 'personal'  quilts or quilted items on the sidebar as I get to see them everytime I post to this blog, but I've realized from last year, that I do more attempting to get the quilts done for my quilting group at church then for mine at home. I guess that's why mine don't really get done. You see, I'm getting something accomplished, just not in THIS direction.

Okay, I am 'going to try' and get one UFO progressed to the next level every other month (6 per year). that means that if it is in the stage of piecing the blocks, I move it to the stage of a top. If it's in the stage of a top, I add borders (if needed). If it's in the stages of being sandwiched and just not quilted, I will tie or quilt it. If it's in the stages of being quilted (by me or someone else), I will get the binding done. How will this get my UFOs depleted, you ask? I hope that when I start to see forward movement being done on one, I'll be motivated to take it one MORE step forward, though that won't be the 'requirement'. And THAT will be a plus!
The nice thing is that my buying habits and 'storing of fabrics' for that future project has diminished IMMENSELY!! And if I start any projects now, I donate it to church for our charity quilts.

Oh, and I may make a request of anyone who reads this blog.... Just once this year (more if you are able), when you have some extra money, and you're sitting in a restaurant/coffeeshop/cafe,... look around you and make the choice to pay the bill (anonymously or not) of another customer (including tip). (Or even buy a sandwich and a hot cup of coffee for someone who is down and out on the street. ) Just because you are fortunate to be able to. It just may cause a domino effect where they pay someone else's bill,  and THEY pay someone...well, you get the idea. It's the idea of paying it forward. If we try and take care of each other without the expectation of such, what a better world this may be.