Summer! Sparrowlings! and Jobless blues

They babies have all left the nest. The youngest one I kept for about a week longer because she was such a weak flyer and was still a demanding little baby. Feed me! FEED ME!! Click through to youtube for the a larger, HD version.

They were coming back every day when I called for them. Since they grew up listening to Mieka, my cockatiel, they came at a whistle or two along with tinking the glass with the stick I was using to feed them the thicker forumla with.

But slowly, they started not showing up when called.

We had some hefty storms move through where three tornados touched down locally, thankfully none near me but there was plenty of wind damage around the village. One morning I got up as another line of strong storms started to make their way through and I checked the cage to see if anyone had come home to roost. Sure enough, the middle Sparrowling was huddled in a corner at the bottom of the cage, sopping wet. I rushed outside, closed the door and brought him in. He was not happy about it, but I just couldn't leave him outside in that weather since he had come home to safety. The night before the sirens went off twice, which is highly unusual. There was very little sleep that night as the wind was kickin something fierce and my apartment was making noises I had not heard before. Groaning and tinking and popping...I truly thought a 'nader was gonna plow through. And I was ready for it. All the animals were safely tucked away to the inner most corner of my place and I had hunkered down in the bathtub with a 5 gallon container of water, a sleeping bag and pillows. I was ready to have my domestic life torn apart and forced to start over. I have renters insurance, so while I laid in the bathtub and listened to the odd sounds coming from everywhere, I pondered about what I would do if I was forced to start over.

Luckily, no 'nader came through my area, just high powered winds that toppled a lot of trees. I put the cage back outside and opened up the door and out the Sparrowling flew. The youngest comes back now and again which is nice. I've had a lot more sparrows in my little area since raising these.

I've been forced to look for another job as the job I thought I was going to have with the company that won the school transportation contract, told me they could not give me a home vehicle. I don't have a reliable way into work, other than biking (and everyday is not going to be a nice day to bike), so if I can't have a home vehicle, then I can't work there. I don't even live ten minutes away. I could carpool with a friends hubby who lives in the same neighborhood as me, but what would I do when the regular school year starts and I have to be there before 6am?

I'm miffed about it. I've done this job for 12 years, 3 of those years was with this very company who, last time, had no issues giving me a home vehicle. I have always had a home vehicle because I have no vehicle of my own. So they have absolutely no concerns about their employees...only the bottom line. That's okay. I didn't want to work for them anyways as my last experience with them was not a good one. I was not happy working there and it was the longest three years ever. I kind of had a feeling things were not going to work in my favor.

 So I've looked into mail delivery and hooking up with the city public transportation, which unfortunately is not hiring right now. Of course not. I do have a phone interview in a couple of weeks for the mail delivery position. There is a Jobride service here that I could use to get to either of those jobs until I can afford a car, but it would cost me around $80 a month. Great, another bill to cover. But if I can get a good paying transportation job, because it's what I know and what I do, then I would be able to afford a car eventually. I would hope.

In the mean time, I am unemployed with lots of time on my hands. I've caught up on the housework, sleep and now I am starting to get busy with quilting. I have unemployment insurance to keep me afloat and Food Share (food stamps) to keep me fed in the meantime. It's not a glamorous way to live, as it's slim pickings all around, but I have plenty to keep me busy at home, and in the gardens. I have been going to the coffee house almost on a daily basis but this is not a sustainable habit on $300 a week. And here, for some god-forsaken reason, they keep the first check of the new year. Thanks so much cause that's NOT HELPFUL to the unemployed!! I am gonna have to borrow money to pay rent this month, just what I don't need right now.

Crazy Patchwork Card

I have considered selling some of my artistic creations. I made this card for my Mum the other day. I dunno if anyone would be interested in this. It's pretty darn easy to do, honestly. I wouldn't charge more than maybe $6 for it.


Well anyways, I'm working on finishing he denim quilt, which I have decided that quilting it as I go would not be such a bad idea.

And I have two jelly rolls that are very springy that I want to do something with. I've concidered the jelly roll race but that's so meh-meh to me. I have stumbled across several patterns that I really like, one from the Missouri Quilting company using the "tube" method.
Then there is this one, using a lot of HST's...

http://www.redpepperquilts.com/2009/07/all-details.html

Can I do this with 2 1/2" jelly roll strips??

Then there is the "Windmills At Night" pattern that wouldn't really be at night because the JR is bright and springy.


I also have a Batik charm pack that I want to do a D9P with black sashing.

Inbetween quilting and gardening then there is camping with a dear friend of mine. We are doing some white watering in upper Wisconsin this weekend. I had already put money back for that, so at least that is covered. Then in a couple more weeks a trip to the Ren Fair in Illinois is planned, although I don't know how much money I will be able to take with me for that.

Wow this is turning into a long post!

I'll stop here and leave it for another day.

BloOOOOoop!


Until next time...
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Denim Update #3

Temporary Design Wall on the closet doors

I got a temporary design board up using some stick on velcro and a crib size piece of batting. I did try to make a larger one with a queen size batting I bought way back last year when I started my first quilt. Needless to say, I am thoroughly dissatisfied with the Mountain Mist brand because the batting is literally PAPER THIN with even THINNER spots all over it. It looks like poorly made handmade paper.

Anyhow, I am 16 squares short of  the design I want. Friend Bellezza and I figured out that the 6x6 pattern I had initially drafted would be a KING size quilt. It doesn't look like it'll be that big...but looks can be deceiving I guess.

That is so gonna be tied cause I am not machine quilting that monster on my domestic. 

I need to cut and starch more denim strips! I might have to hit up a second hand store if I run out.

What the hell is this?!! It looks like paper!!
That's not batting! 

Look at all the thin places on this pathetic excuse for batting!!! OH! I am just so disgusted. The entire thing is paper thin to boot. Nothing there to insulate OR add any weight to a quilt. 

Note to all those out there....AVOID the purple packaged Mountain Mist brand of shitty batting. Yes, that IS my humble opinion. Never buying it again. I'm sticking to my Warm & Natural brand.

.

Until next time...

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Oye, late season chest cold...

I almost made it all winter without ANY illness....
And then my routes were switched on me and I got a bus load of coughing spec ed students who don't understand the cover-your-mouth-when-you-cough practice...

And after two weeks, my body gave in to the thick air of germs being coughed out twice daily.

DAMMIT!!

So I have been dealing with that since early last week and it went straight to my lungs. I ALWAYS get walking pneumonia when I get sick. Never fails. I can feel the liquid and hear it rattle and I HATE it. So I am self treating with leftover antibiotics from the kidney infection from last year. They are helping but everytime I cough, I need to blow my nose. When I blow my nose, I cough more, and sometimes harder. When I cough hard, I piss myself. I cannot stop every time my bladder gets a little full to take a piss so I am wearing panty liners to help control the mess....to some degree.

Needless to say I am ready to be done with this crap. We got another cold snap here in Wisconsin...that is not helping ONE BIT. I cough even more when I get out in the cold.

Come on Spring!!!

I did buy the Tammy Bag pattern and I put that together Sunday. The pattern is very precise and very clear. I had no problems at all putting it together and it is quite large on the inside. I am not happy about the floppy inside pockets. If I make this again, I shall use interfacing on the lining. 

I am waiting for a purse frame ordered online to arrive because the local shops don't have anything decent to use that doesn't have HUGE bead clasps. So ugly those are. I made this to take my tatting with me on the go so it won't get groudy. I'll be working with white thread. 

A proud Pooping Princess

And you know, we find the strangest things at Joanns, my friend and I do. We went there on my Birthday last Saturday and we say this.
Pooping Princesses. "I poop Candy!!" the package proudly states.
I mean, really? You know this came from China because it's just so out there. Why yes, I've always wanted a pooping princess candy dispenser...NOT.

Oranges!!

Another friend and I went halfzies on a box of oranges direct from Florida. It only took one day to arrive! We ordered from Sun-Ripe Fruit. It's a seasonal thing as they are only available this time of year. We bough the hybrid Temples because that was the only kind available this late. The box held 40 of them for the low cost of $25 and only $5 to ship.They are like eating a bottle of orange juice, only better!! SO JUICY! I can't eat them because of the antibiotics...damned it!

St Patty's Party Fun
Left to right: Me, Susan, Jeff in the back (Ti's Hubby), Kieara, Ti

Some St Patty's day shinnaygins at a friends house last Friday. We all dawned our best green mustache faces for a group photo. LOL! 

Projector screen Hide-a-Design-Wall

I am almost done with the log cabin denim squares. Photos on that soon. I am also wanting to get a design wall up. The only place I really have room for it is in the bedroom on the closet doors, or hanging in front of 

them. I've seen several ideas on Pinterest including a roll-up one (that is on a screen thing...easily DIY-able)

Curtain Rod Design Wall.

I also saw this idea. Hang the wall on a curtain rod so it can slide out of the way.

Other ideas include but are never limited to covering insulation panels, cardboard, and/or hardboard sheets.

I found them on this Pinterest Board.

I love Pinterest and I can lose myself there sometimes.

So many projects, so little time and energy. 

Every multi-crafters dilemma.

Until next time...
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Denim quilt update

Just a quick update on the log cabin denim upcycle project while I wait around between my routes this morning.

Round one of the denim strips are done. I found I had to starch the denim because of its stretchiness. A couple of the outside cotton fabric strips are warping too, not sure what is going on there but not gonna worry about it at this point. I am thoroughly enjoying the chain piecing process. I've been working on them from about 5pm till the plant lights go off, around 8pm. Got a nice chunk done yesterday. This is the first big project that I have done since getting the new iron. It is SO MUCH BETTER than the old one. I don't spend nearly as much time trying to get the strips to lay flat after pressing. I guess it really was time for a new iron. And it really does go faster without having to set the iron up on end each time. My upper back thanks me for that too. :-)

With the use of the inversion table I am having less and less upper back tension. There for a bit I was starting to dread sitting at the machine because of it.  My sciatica is still a bother at times. It hurts when I start walking but subsides after a while. Same with sitting. I'm weird I guess.

I think I am gonna try picking tatting up again, if only to keep me busy on my morning break. I've been brushing up on my needle tat skeelz. There are so many more videos on YouTube on it now, I'm amazed and quite enthused.

Denim block go!

Okay I like this combination  a lot better than the last two. 

And checkout the draft of what it would look like!!

Test Block #3

Draft

Now it's chain piecing time!

Until next time...

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March Blocks, first cabin block and SPRING!!!

Received

YAY! March blocks have been swapped!

Bellezza sent me a Birthday cake in these wonderfully delightful colors!  This is my Bday Month. Actually, my Bday falls on a Saturday so some friends and I are gonna go hit the local bowling alley where they offer free alcomohol ON your Bday. So, some free beer and drunkin bowling are in order!

What I sent her was more of an experimental block for me. I wanted to do a crocus, but none of the patterns I was seeing was satisfying me.

This is where my sketch from another post comes in. I did realize most of the way through the thread painted leaves that I need to use some tear away stabilizer to prevent that nasty wrinkling that happens. I did use some when I stitched around the raw edges of the applique.

First of....40 something?!

And the first denim log cabin block is more of an experiment than anything. I'm gonna try one more thing before committing to a set. 

 And the two Spring Mug rugs I sent to Bellezza. I wanted to try some hexagon work so made one completely out of hexies. The other one has more of a "modern" feel. I did some fun quilting stitches on both.

 I'm feeling springy so the blog theme has changed. I've also been in a purging Spring cleaning mode the past week with the arrival of warmer temps. I've been cleaning out the closets and getting rid of crap I have been holding onto from a lifetime long ago. Such as a body pillow I brought with me from home over 13 years ago...I was hanging on to that little bit from home. Time to move on. Time to declutter and purge.

Until next time...
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I'm excited about this one!!

I saw this on pinterest the other day it was love at first sight!

I have several pairs of old jeans that have been waiting for a while on the side lines to be repurposed. My friends are even offering their old jeans to me to chop!

EEEEEEEEeeeeeee!!!

I LOVE the colors and the fact that red and blue are opposites and yet look good together makes this a fantastic combination that is exciting to the eyes....or at least mine anyways.

I'm an Aries. I love all things fire.

I also have several water signs in my birth chart. So then I love all things blue and ocean-y as well.

This appeals to both.

So I got to work cutting up those jeans this afternoon but I soon discovered that my strips were coming out bowed at the folds. Hmmmm...not quite sure how to work around that. the pieces are irregular and quite large since my ass is also large. I guess I have to square up the pieces before trying to strip cut them. I need that book Log Cabin Quilt in a Day book to tell me what sizes of strips I need.

Of all the patterns and choices out there...this one has caught the apple of my eye and the pounding beat to my heart.

It's Wednesday and that means it's gaming and wine night. I work an extra long day on Wednesdays and I've been coming home with quite the pain in my arse. Stretching is helping some. I usually end up taking 3 IBU during the course of the day, usually around noonish, and just ignore the discomfort until I can come home and medicate further with stuff I can't drive on when the pain becomes too much. Wine also helps numb the discomfort. Since there is not much time to do much of anything before I hit the hay, I've dedicated Wednesdays to jumping in Lord of the Rings Online and drinking wine. This week it is Black Box brand Red Elegance. Sweet potatoes are baking in the oven and parmesan crusted perch is soon to follow. Easy peasy.

What kind of wines do you enjoy that you can recommend? I like dry to semi-sweet wines.




Until next time...


***All content is Copyright year and date of posting, and are the sole property of C4G/CCW unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this website(text, photo's, etc)is strictly prohibited(linking to the post is OK).***