Happy New Year!

As the East Coast of the U.S. finishes up its ringing in of 2012, we in Hawaii are still waiting for the magic hour. Some fireworks are still legal here, but not the real loud stuff.  Still, some folks think the rules do not apply to them and there are occasional loud booms.  This is our first New Year with Merlin and he's afraid of the loud noises.  He is curled up next to me on the couch so I'll protect him from the "booms".   Guess I'll be up for a while defending the homestead against loud noises and keeping Merlie safe.  :)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Here they are!

 For once I got my act together to post my pictures early today.  This picture is the serendipitous quilt that just "happened" yesterday.  Found the fabric, realized how much I missed my sunflower fabric and decided to whip up something simple to add beads to.  I have a perfect place to put it in the bedroom.  I just love sunflowers.  They are such happy flowers!

And this is the polka dot quilt. Really bright and pinky-magenta.  I'm going to bead it, too, but haven't decided how yet.

Today I need to work on my Red Victorian Lady bead tapestry.  Haven't worked on  her in a while.  She's a big project and isn't going to weave herself!

Quilt Catch Up

I've gotten the quilting bug again.  I have rarely quilted while living in Hawaii....too hot and we don't use quilts at all.  But, I spent two weeks in New Hampshire which included a couple of days of snow.  I just felt like quilting and sewing in general.  Thought that feeling would go away once I returned to the tropics, but it hasn't.  

I've cleaned up my sewing area which is just a part of  one of the bedrooms.  It's enough space with shelving and a table for cutting, etc.  I don't think I'll be making any bed quilts, just lap quilts and some wall quilts.  

When I lived in Germany, I made several quilts.  One was for Bob because he didn't have one and we really needed them in the winter.  His was coffee-themed :)
And I got into making wall quilts embellished with beads and appliques.  These are a couple of the wall quilts I made:

Today, I've been working on a new quilt based on one of my favorite quilting books.  I'm almost finished with the piecing, but haven't decided on embellishment yet.  Oh yes, it must be embellished!  I'll post a picture tomorrow of the pre-embellished stage.  And I finished a top for a wall quilt which just kind of happened while I was going through my stash today.  I'll post a picture of it's pre-embellished stage, too.

I'm back to quilting!

Too Much to do....

I cannot wait until I retire!  I have too much to do at work to spend time to do all I want at home.  Maybe I'll just wait until I retire and write a book!

Merlin

I'm trying to revive this blog once again. I have so many cat stories I want to share.  First, let me introduce Merlin. 

Merlin is a 5yr old cat we adopted from a local rescue group.  He definitely part Burmese.  He has Burmese fur and looks reddish brown underneath his black coat.  He is a gorgeous animal.  And a spoiled animal.  My husband, Bob, says all my cats will be spoiled...it's just what I do. 

Merlin was really sick when we first got him.  He stopped eating a week after we got him.  We took him to the vets. a week and a half later (and $4500), he was back with a stomach tube and we had to feed him through the tube until he could eat again by himself.  His liver had shutdown and had to be "taught" to function again.  It only took 2 weeks before he was eating on his own.

And since then he has been king of the house and all he surveys.   He has scared Jazzmyn, who unbeknownst to us didn't want another cat  in the house, so she stays upstairs.  We're gradually working their relationship out, but it's going to take a while.  

Check back for more Merlin/Jazzmyn stories....

Catch up Time!

Trying to catch up on my blogging.  I've got so much to update....new starts...a few finishes...but, alas, no pictures.....yet.  Working on that.

But, without pictures, I can say that I tried working with resin.  I planned to make some components for jewelry.  Cabochons for earrings and pendants.  But I have to say...I really don't like working with resin.  It's sticky and takes at least three days to cure.  Unfortunately, it's rather humid here in Hawaii, so it often takes longer.  The one thing I do like resin for is to seal my paper clay components after I've painted them.  I think once my supply of resin is gone, I won't be making resin anything.  Resin jewelry stuff is just one thing that doesn't really appeal to me.


I've been making lots of paper  clay components.  They are so light weight and I can use my metal leaf pens on the components to make them look silver, gold or copper. I've made earrings and pendants that actually look like ceramic, but are so very light.  


Gotta get some pictures to post this week!

 

Happy New Year!!!!

 I know I missed the common New Year, AND I missed Chinese New Year, but the sentiment is well meant :)

Ran into a few bumps in life the last few weeks.  My 14 yr Oriental Shorthair Boo-boo passed away earlier this month.  After weeks of medical attention and TLC at home, it was determined that there was nothing more we could do for him.  Boo-boo went off to Rainbow Bridge on 2 February.  We love him and miss him.