Goals vs. UFO's

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? For a long time, every year I would make a resolution (silently) to go on a fabric purchasing freeze. I would tell myself (really the devil on my shoulder) to not buy anything until I finished projects that I deserted out of boredom or indifference, plus I already had sooo much. That never worked out for me, usually by March I had caved and the dread recurs every year. Well with age comes some wisdom. First, have you looked up the word resolution? That’s my problem! …“a formal expression of opinion or intention made, usually after voting, by a formal organization. I DID NOT make it formal so it never counted. A couple of months ago I heard a quote somewhere and it is still lounging in my head: “A goal with no plan is only a wish” ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Yes! I’ve been wishing every year to do better. I now have a plan and I declare I will be successful. I have freed myself from thinking I myself had to finish all those UFO’s. Nope, I can repurpose it, gift someone, sell it, or scrap it. I am also redesigning my fabric storage system which will motivate me to use what I have. Also, I firmly express I will be disciplined to finish one UFO before I can begin a new project. With Antoine in my head, I will live guilt free in 2014. Oh, I have granted myself to buy patterns or an occasional book in order to use up my gluttonous fabric stash. And, maybe a pretty or two at the Dallas Quilt Show.

One effort to use my stash is I decided to participate in the “Year of Schnibbles Parade”. Have you heard of this or know of the Schnibbles patterns? I came across this in blog-land. Schnibbles patterns are by Miss Rosie’s Quilt Co ( Miss Rosies) and are designed with charm-sized squares in mind. There are two bloggers Sherri and Sinta who each month will choose a Schnibbles pattern for “participants” to make. There’s no prize or anything like that (that I know of) just an adventure to learn new techniques, be involved with other quilters across the land, or just have fun, plus I’ll end up with a wall-hanging-sized quilt or I can enlarge it for bed-sized. With my first one I took liberty to adjust the block size a tad after I sketched out what I envisioned in my head when I first saw the pattern.

Love coloring!

So here is finished top:

Texas sunrise anyone?

Like I said, when I saw the pattern I could just feel the colors of the rainbow rolling over the quilt. The title is a given but also chosen from a quote of one of my favorite movies. Can you guess? “Color Me Happy, there’s a sofa in here for two!” From the same movie is my tag line~ “Take Care of You”.

I had fun coloring and even more fun playing with the multitude of fabrics I used and watching it come to life. Consider joining the Schnibbles Parade with me.

I’m now off to finish up a tee-shirt quilt then a fun & pretty Spring-y floral wall-hanging. Stay tuned, and as always…

   

That fateful November day

I keep hearing: "Do you know where you were that fateful day in November"? I was not born yet, but do fully realize November 22nd was a pivotal day in history and in everyone's lives. It also brought about a new form of journalism that had not been done before. Reporting news live, as it was unfolding in front of our eyes was absolutely unforgettable. Living in the Dallas region now the news has highlighted this day for months and deservedly so. 

I have two things in common with JFK, well sort of, in like a six degrees of separation way, maybe. Another fateful day in November occurred in 1994. My first date with my husband happened in Dallas, in November, and...he took me to Dealey Plaza and The School Book Depository. Yes, our first date included a history lesson. Kevin and I went to high school together, and though we never dated in high school we were just friends who had World History together.  Yes, we are rich in history. We reconnected 10 years after high school even though he was living in Dallas and I was still a home town girl, well woman I guess, since I was already blessed with two beautiful daughters, Jessica and Natalie. So yes, I dated, then married a high school friend; which then brought about the results of our girls each marrying one of their high school friends. History is all abound in Dallas, in November. I try to be mindful of the fact you just never know what history is evolving right now, around you.

    

My sweet family. Natalie & Nick on the left with Jessica & Terry on the right.



Just start somewhere

Well here I am starting a blog, blindly, as usual I'll make it up as I go along.  Pretty much like I did with this quilt. I received a call from a mutual member from my quilt guild requesting my longarm quilting skills. And, if you don't belong to a quilt guild and you have one nearby, please join. It will enrich your life in so many ways. I'm thankful for and blessed by my guild. I digress, so I replied with sure, why not. I was given a bag with the top & backing and just tossed it to the side due to the fact it wasn't needing immediate attention. Lo & behold when I finally bring this gem to the light! Who doesn't love red & white?! And, it's at least a 40-50 year old quilt! Yikes! It's beautifully pieced and...I don't know what to do. So I sketched & sketched, debated, sketched some more. Stepped up to my machine like I'm a batter ready to hit a homerun. I wasted some time sketching because none of that panned out and I just started and hoped it worked out in the long run. 

Before pic is always nice.

Looking back at this before reminds me of the blankness I felt when I was up to bat. But...



Progress

I'm so glad I tossed the sketches. Whew! It was A LOT of fun watching it come to life!

Finally!

I hope you like what I do, if not now stay tuned. Like my name, if it's not quilts going on around here, it's ponderings. Well, because I live in Ponder, ahahaha!