A little eye candy

A color wheel of marbled fabric in the Sewingly Yours booth at the Not Just for Quilters Shop Hop in the J. E. Broyhill Civic Center, Lenoir, NC tomorrow and Saturday. I got a sneak preview (but no shopping) this afternoon during the set up time. If you are in the area, this is an awesome opportunity to get quilt stuff from over 10 vendors!

My sweet Pepper. She is so funny, she just flops down. Sarge will circle 3 times and then gracefully fold down, Murray grans, sits, then slides his front paws until he is lying down. But Pepper, she just flops! I have always loved that her face and head are triangles. And the was she furrows her brows always gives her a quizzical look. She is a sweetie, but then all 3 of my hounds are!

Dad drove up today to help me take the dogs out while the agents open house went on. It was crazy humid, but not too hot. We took the dogs to some trails nearby and strolled and talked. He is doing so well. It is amazing to think how close we came to loosing him not that long ago. Thanks again to everyone for their thoughts and prayers on Dad's behalf. They worked!!

Quilt Mojo is active and engaged

Okay, my missing quilt mojo has returned with a vengeance! I am now back to having too many ideas and not enough time. I have been getting up, going to work, coming home and into the sweat shop I go! My 3 hounds lay about my feet while I sew! It is a constructive way to cope with being here alone. And what do I have to show for my efforts? I give you "Rutherwood Trail":

A fun exercise to both use up scraps AND create something more "masculine".

Just a simple "Courthouse Steps" style block sashed with solid Kona. The center batiks were leftovers Mom gave me. I free-motion quilted organic trails inside each block and a squared-off continuous line in the sashing. Measures 56" by 72". I am still on my mission to build inventory and reopen my etsy shop.

No lookers for our house. We are now planning on trying to rent it. And we are jumping back into looking for a house to live in together. I really couldn't summon up the enthusiasm to do it again until just this week. I guess I needed to mourn the house that didn't work out. But now, we begin again.

And thanks so very much for the prayers and good thoughts for my Dad. He is doing well and is on the mend. He is back to walking and trying to rebuild his strength. I am so grateful and glad!

ya have to read all the way thru for the good news!

What a weird week! Dad rushed back to ER Monday, decompressing and trying to regain my bearings Tuesday, first of a new lunch-time yoga class Wednesday, normal Thursday and Friday. Taught Free-motion yesterday (Saturday) at my favorite, home-base quilt shop Sewingly Yours. Of course it was fun! Then I stayed with Dad (doing MUCH better) so Mom could go out for some primping (hair and nails). Really did her good! I wish we could get this house sold and move closer! Mom came back glowing! Then dear extended family showed up for a visit (Carol, Tracy, Alex, Julia and Luke - So cute!!!!). All-in-all a nice Saturday. Hubby and son attended at Bluegrass Music festival in hubby's county of employment, so I missed them, but they had fun being together.

Then I got home, and checked the mail.

And I got a Big White Envelope from the American Quilter's Society.

This one's been juried into the AQS Knoxville Show!!!!! YIPPEE!!!

mid-week

No pics today, but my WIP status: I have 1 mini-art quilt ready to bind, and 2 lap-sized quilts basted and ready to quilt. My boss bought me some cute FQs in NYC so I foresee a funky-mod baby quilt in the near future! Still trying to build my inventory.

Dad had to go to the ER Monday, but he is home. He has pnuemonia and needed a massive dose of hydrocortisone as his pituitary gland is still not up to par. Fortunately, the ER doc was on top of things and contacted Dad's endocrinologist who has worked him next week. Seems like the hydrocortisone may be the major player in this drama. Since his dose Monday night, and the additional in pill form, he is feeling better and not leaking spinal fluid. This experience (starting in January) has been a crash course in anatomy. The more I learn, the more I need to learn!

My FM class made for this Saturday, so even though I am stressed-out and exhausted, I get to spend Saturday in a warm, loving, supportive quilt shop! I can't wait, the time there is like a restorative vacation.

Be kind to yourself and each other!

ups and downs

Well, I spoke too soon last week. Dad developed a spinal fluid leak due to the surgery and had to go under the knife again to try to patch it. Patched one, but another developed. So to recap: my Dad was diagnosed with a pituitary adenoma (brain tumor) last fall. Surgery was scheduled for the end of January but had to be delayed as a cardiac abnormality was detected in his pre-op exam.The abnormality turned out to require a double bypass, but the pituitary tumor complicated matters and he didn't come around until 6 (agonizing) days later. He rehabs and heals fine in the ensuing 2 months, reschedules the surgery. April 28 they remove the tumor and he comes out of recovery laughing and joking. Then the leak. He said if he had known retirement would be like this, he would have kept working! Yep, he still has his humor! I am going to ask again for prayers for his healing, but we are supposed to pray for each other anyway, aren't we?

Now back to quilting.
I finished this a week ago but just now got my camera downloaded.

24" x 30" intended for a table topper.

Loopy-loop quilting. I have been raiding my scrap bin for these. Mom gave me several pieces of this Moda collection for Christmas in 2008. I have really been getting the miles out of these yards! This is the fist quilt made with this group:

then this wall hanging and today's post. AND I have my ZigZag quilt top yet to quilt and all were using these fabrics. I love using every possible scrap!

Back in the studio

This has been such a busy month. I had much to do. Then my Dad was ill, and all my priorities changed. He is home (came home Thursday) and his cardiac rehab is underway. He faces the brain surgery to remove the pituitary tumor in 6-8 weeks, but he is strong and determined and surrounded by a host of family and friends to assist in any way. Thanks to all for your thoughts and prayers. Please continue to pray for my Dad in this rehab and in the face of the tumor. Please also pray for my Mom, who is his primary caregiver, chauffeur, best friend, life partner etc! She is exhausted from all the stress! I spent Friday night with them since I had a free-motion class on Saturday morning at Sewingly Yours. We had a relaxed dinner and I got my Mom to help me with paper piecing. She tutored me well and I have a pattern to attack in the near future!

My free-motion class was packed! I had 13 great students! The morning flew by. Wannitta has started a blog for the shop. Please check it out here and become a fan on Facebook!

And finally, on Saturday night, I got to spend a nice quiet evening with my hubby! We ate a fantastic dinner that he prepared, (roasted pork loin with root vegetables), watched the Olympics and chilled.


And today, back in the studio to release some pent-up creativity! 2, yes 2 new WIPS:


I am calling this "peekabu"

A close up of the cool batik and Kona cotton:

 

And a new hand-dyed I am calling "portal":

 

 

It has been a beautiful warm day. We have spent time outside with the dogs. I have been cutting and piecing and am quite relaxed. I am so grateful!

a very long week

This has been a long week. Dad came through his bypass surgery, but developed a dementia they call "ICU Psychosis" along with pneumonia. His heart was good, but he was battling the pneumonia and was not coherent. It was unreal and painful to witness. He was put back on the ventilator Saturday morning. Mom kept insisting that his pituitary tumor had to have something to do with this. The endocrinologist agreed and added some additional hormones to Dad's pharmaceutical cocktail. We have lived this week in a fog and in constant prayer. And angels have been sitting on the shoulders of the doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists. Today, he started to come around. He wrote a note to Mom asking what day it is and what had happened. We have wept tears of joy!! They will begin to wean him off the respirator again in the morning. I sure have missed him!


I have rested most of the day and finally got back in my studio to quilt this:

 

It measures 20.5" x 25".

The method comes form the book "Square Dance-Fancy Quilts from Plain Squares" by Martha Thompson. I borrowed the book from Mom and decided to do this small wall hanging as an additional sample for my Free-motion quilting class this Saturday. I quilted it in a shell pattern. It was nice to quilt in a peaceful, thankful, meditative state.

I am going to work in the morning and will spend tomorrow night with Mom. Blog posting will resume as Dad improves. Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers! 

Update on Dad

Dad went for a cardiac catheterization yesterday. His heart is unique in its placement and the orientation of the vessels (no, not deformed, just unique, special, one-of-a kind) and they could not find a catheter shaped to fit so he underwent bypass surgery this morning. He is receiving exemplary care. We could not ask for better nurses, doctors or respiratory therapists. He is in the ICU tonight and was breathing on his own when we left. This has been a tense and emotional day. The nurses and doctors have said he is progressing normally. I thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. We hope he is up in a chair tomorrow. Finding these blockages has been miraculous. His brain tumor has literally saved his life. He had one at 70% blocked and another at 95%. And no symptoms of a heart issue. Truly a miracle in our eyes. And re-furbished heart, just in time for Valentine's Day!

This is Dad and his little Schnoodle, Nikki. Everyone has a father, but I have a "Daddy!" The best in the world.