Did you watch the Oscars?

Did you? Not me I have to admit .... It's not that I'm no longer interested in movies, I am. It's just that I haven't managed to see most of the award nominees this year. I don't get to the movies as much as I would like ... don't have that much "spare time" anymore. A quilting friend keeps asking me to drop over "in my spare time" for a visit. I'd love to - but who has spare time????

This was my weekend to work so of course the weather on Sunday was + 14!!!! Are you kidding ? I'm stuck inside and the weather outside is balmy - WTF?? At least it wasn't sunny. Today is supposed to be rainy/flurries and we are expecting another winter "storm" for tomorrow. I don't do well with lots of wet heavy snow, so here's hoping the weather forecasters are wrong again ;).
I popped over to the Pater's on Friday as I hadn't seen him in awhile. He commented that's he's feeling lonely and that I don't visit often enough. Yes, I know - it's that lack of "spare time" again. Then, because my sister was sick (it was her weekend for mater duty), I did a quick grocery run over to mother's where she commented about visiting as well. Grrrrrr, I'm dancing as fast as I can people! In between end of month banking/groceries/laundry/housekeeping for myself, working and parental visits I did manage to complete one more POTC Lucy Boston block. Here it is

I'm very pleased with this one as it took forever to find any fabrics to match up. Luckily I have several blocks prepped so I'm good to go for a while yet. A few guild ladies have commented on my Lucy Boston progress so I thought I'd share what's on my design wall so far ...

They're in the order of when they were done, and that order will probably change in the final quilt. I haven't decided how many blocks per row, how many rows or even what fabric/colours I'll use as my "filler" blocks. Hmmmm, after this row maybe I should stop and take some time to make some decisions. Better yet, maybe I should start working on those filler blocks so I don't have them all at the end!! What do you think?
Word/phrase for this week ..

Deja lu - experience of having a conversation with someone about something from reading about them on the internet. Ever have that happen to you?

TTFN

Ok, winter can end any time now ....

It's official, I have the winter blahs .... although this winter has been relatively mild, for me it can end any time now! I sure am tired of getting up in the dark (5:45) and leaving the house at 7 am! I am tired of not going to things I want to attend (movies, guild meetings, great niece's birthday party) because it's either too cold or I'm too tired and worn out. :( woe is me ....  Alright, enough of my pity party, sorry about that, It's Sunday, a day of rest. The sun isn't out but the Squirrels are. They're having a picnic on my patio, enjoying the apples I've left out for which ever critter wants/finds them.
This week was my great niece's 2nd birthday and I found the perfect book for her

Here's the Amazon write up

The incredibly intricate and vivid illustrations in this book are details of a modern quilt inspired by Sibylle von Olfers' classic storybook Mother Earth and Her Children. This vibrant new translation, in turn inspired by the quilt, explores the changing of the seasons and delicately touches upon the circle of life. When Mother Earth calls her children to prepare for spring, the earthly children yawn and stretch before they busy themselves with beautification. They dust off the bumblebees, scrub the beetles, paint bright new coats on the ladybugs, and rouse the caterpillars from their cocoons. Bedecked with new blossoms, the children emerge from the earth and become spring flowers that frolic through the summer and autumn, until the leaves begin to fall and they return to Mother Earth, bringing the weary bugs and beetles back to their winter refuge.

How perfect is that? A lovely picture book for a lovely little girl, based on a lovely quilt :)

Happy Birthday Claire!

 So, just in case you think my winter blahs stopped me from sewing, nooooo.  I tried real hard to get  out of my funk. Here are last week's POTC Lucy Boston blocks!

Love the sunshine yellow in this one, and

this one is not quite as bright, but still not my usual dark/black/grey.
This week's word:

Chtonical - in under or beneath the earth - subterranean.
As in I have been feeling chtonical all week!

And for your reading pleasure this week, an article from Aeon "Losing the Thread. Older than bronze and as new as nanowires, textiles are technology — and they have remade our world time and again"

TTFN

Winter Wonderland ...

Winter has arrived - all in one weekend! Our hiatus from winter is over :( . I've been stuck in my home for 5 days now.  Cold weather alerts and tons of snow! But the sun is out, and that makes the snow so pretty.  I have plenty of groceries, I always stock up in winter just for this type of weather, and I have lots and lots of sewing to do. No parental duties this weekend so I didn't have to go out. I just put a roast in the crock pot and a spice cake in the oven. I have prepped 6 POTC Lucy Boston blocks and have 2 more to prep, so I should be good for another week ;). No wait, I have to go back to work on Tuesday, Monday being the  "Family Day holiday.

Yes, there is a car under all that snow - you can just see the tail lights and the passenger side tires ! Speaking of family, my nephews are coming over today/tomorrow to clean off the car and dig me out. Phew lucky me :)! The condo corp has plowed and done the sidewalks, but they don't clean off your car, darn it! And to make this snow weekend complete, I enjoyed a Vikings (season 3) marathon yesterday - Yeah Ragnar, and Rollo and Floki and Lagertha and Bjorn - Yeah Vikings season 4 starts Thursday!

 

And of course I finished another POTC block ..... here it is

Let's just hope this weather doesn't stick around, or make a repeat appearance! Even our guild meeting was cancelled this week - and that just doesn't happen! I'm sooooo ready for spring.
So, this week's word is:

Hesternal - of or pertaining to yesterday, as in I want to go back to our earlier no snow weather ....

TTFN

6 more weeks?

Are they kidding? 6 more weeks of this weather I can take. It's been so mild and wonderful, very little snow, even the sap is running - woohoo for Maple syrup! Unfortunately next week's weather predictions makes me think winter is coming back and with a vengence. Boohoo!  Have been enjoying the mild winter while it was here, and our sunny Sunday :)
Not much excitement in my household, one more POTC Lucy Boston block accomplished

and am working on the last of those I prepped at Christmas. Time to get into the sewing room and prep some more!
Word/phrase for this week

Stendhal syndrome - psychosomatic disorder of rapid heartbeat dizziness, fainting, confusion, hallucinations when exposed to experiences of great personal significance

TTFN