A Finish at the End of February

At last, we had a decent day to take a photo.  The quilt has been finished for a couple of days, but it wasn't dry enough for a photo.   I really wanted to lay this quilt out in the field across the road but it is still far too muddy. So, I strung a rope between the sides of my car cover.  

The fact is that this quilt is pretty heavy.  It weighed down the rope and dragged on the cement.  

Then  a bit of a breeze lifted it up so I snapped another shot. I do love the batiks in the pieced blocks paired with the hand-dyed fabrics in the solid blocks.   You may have noticed that I did a scrappy binding with various colors of batiks.  One reader, Gail, suggested a scrappy binding.  I decided that it would really look good with the white borders.  It plays nicely with the blocks and carries the color to the edges for a nice cohesive look. 

I have pulled out a UFO to work on for Monday's post.  Hint - more hand-dyed fabrics!!!!

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Puzzle Update

Mom and I have been working on the puzzle intermittently.  We have a bit more put together.  The really good news is that Mom's puzzle skills are improving.  So I think it is activating some parts of her brain that had "gotten lazy."   Don't forget that your brain needs exercise too. 

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

It's Just a Jump to the Left....

The quilt hasn't got a binding yet.  I took the "jump to the left" for a bit and spent the weekend attending a virtual fiddle camp. Actually it was the Maine Fiddle Camp  that was held virtually this year.  I don't play fiddle, but they offered some other instrument choices and even singing.  Saturday morning I took a singing class.  And then Saturday afternoon, I took a class on Ukulele.  Sunday morning was another ukulele class - and since I had enjoyed it so much the day before- I took that one too.  I learned some fun things.  Even though I am still learning, I was able to perform in the Camper Concert. For that I played the song we learned in class called Pachelbel's Wagon. It is a fun mash up of Canon in D by Pachelbel (but we played it in C) and the song Wagon Wheel by The Old Crow Medicine Show.  I must confess that I somehow never heard Wagon Wheel before this class. 

Later - after all the classes- I had time to play with another song. This is an older song that was  sung by the New Christie Minstrels.  I heard them sing it in concert years ago. Here is my version.  I hope you enjoy it. 

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Wonder of Wonders

That is correct - It is almost a miracle.  My quilt is now one piece. I was going to do part of it today, but once I got going - I kept going. 

This is not a fancy shot because the weather is not pretty. But I plan on a photo shoot when I get the binding made and put on it. And of course if the weather will cooperate.   But I am totally stoked that this quilt is so close to being finished. I absolutely love the fabrics and variety of color this shows.

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Yes, I Did!

What you say? What did you do?  I will tell you.  I finished quilting the last section of this quilt.  Yes indeed, y'all!  It is all quilted and ready to be joined with the other pieces to make a nice big old quilt.

There are some closeup shots too because I want you to be able to see how imperfectly perfect it is.  Are there some bobbles and wobbly lines - sure there are.  But here is my secret - once it is finished and washed there will be just enough crinkles to hide all the little mistakes and the texture will shine like the morning sun. 

The flower grid next to the square (ish) spirals - wavy lines contrasting with curvy lines. 

Wavy lines and loopy lines make a great filler - and oh my, y'all the texture is so wonderful

to run your hands over. 

This little gem is right next to two blocks with lots of curvy lines. 

So, I did a giant square (ish) spiral.  The lines are not all straight, 

The corners are not all ninety degree angles. Does it matter? 
I think this is far more artistic than getting it exact.  And it really looks 

lovely against the hand dyed fabric that it is quilted on.

Now I will leave you with a song that most of you have probably heard in some form. 

I hope your day is full of Grace. 

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Did I quit Quilting?

No, I didn't, honest.  I know that it has seemed that way. I has been a while since I posted any quilting work.   But I finally chose a backing and layered and basted the final piece of my quilt.  Then, after supper last night, I started quilting it.  I even remembered to put the label on before I got to far along to quilt it in. 

Here are the two blocks that I have quilted so far. 

One of the other things I have been doing lately is spending more time with Mom.   My nephew gave her a puzzle with 1000 pieces. It was a late Christmas present.  Mom is not great at puzzles, but she wanted us to put it together.   We spend at least an hour every day working on it. Here is what the picture looks like when it is finished. 

Let me tell you there are a lot of colors and designs that are repeated. That adds to the difficulty level.  

Don't laugh, but here is where we are so far. 

Actually we are a little farther along because I sorted out the butterfly in the lower left corner after this photo was taken.   We have pieced sorted and placed on pieces of cardboard - as well as in the lid and bottom of the box.   Maybe we will finish it by the First of June.... Ha ha. 

As for my Virta Health Program to lose weight, reverse diabetes and lower my blood pressure, I am doing well.  Errr....mostly.   My blood sugar readings have been lower.  My weight is "up and down" a little but Friday it was at a lower point than any day since I started - so that looks promising.  However, my blood pressure is consistently in the High Normal to a little too High range.  I think that will work out as the weight comes off.  The great part is that I feel really good and I am enjoying the food changes. It feels odd to not have any breads or pasta, but I have not craved anything. Overall, it is a big win thus far. 

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Starting a New Me

This post is not about quilting or weaving or painting.  

About a month or so ago, I got an email from my health insurance.  There was a plan that is recommended by my insurer for reversing diabetes.  Some of you may know that I am a type II diabetic. (That means my body has become less able to use the insulin that I make to get the excess sugar from my bloodstream.) For years we have been told that "it only gets worse."   BUT, new research has found that a ketogenic diet that is medically supervised can not only result in weight loss, but it can also reverse diabetes. 

Sign ME up for that.

Since my insurance is paying for the full program, it was easy to say "Sure I want to do it."  I filled out a rather comprehensive medical history including all of the medications that I take. Then I waited. A few more emails and an interview call was set up to verify health info and decide if I might be a good candidate for the program. 

I had a lovely interview with a very nice lady who told me that it sounded promising but the medical team had to okay the lab work that I needed to send in or get done. I sent in lab work from my most recent doctor's visits.  But, if you don't have them they will arrange for you to get labs done.

In approximately two weeks,  I got an appointment with a Medical Doctor for a tele-health visit.  Again, the MD was friendly and positive.  Fast forward - I got the email that I was medically approved. 

Then on Saturday, February 6th I got  a box delivered by FedEx.   Let me show you how they have set me up for success.  I am so excited.  I opened the box to a big welcome and a sheet explaining the contents. 

Because I also suffer from hypertension (High blood pressure)  they also sent me a very nice monitor for that also.  (Another "side effect" from this program is that my BP meds will likely need to be lowered or  perhaps removed from my treatment!)   

But, wait, what is inside that blue box with Virta on the cover?  Let's look at the contents.

In there was everything I need to monitor my blood sugar and ketones, a kitchen scale to weigh my protein each day,  magnesium tablets in case I need to supplement my magnesium and some bullion cubes.  Then in the very back there is a recipe book for getting started.  Some of those items were in this cotton carry bag that has the program name and  logo.

On the plan, I have a health coach and an MD assigned to my care team. They provide both guidance and encouragement.  There is also an online community that shares recipes and support.   

Oh, but WAIT....under that box there was another box.  Inside it was this:

It is a body weight scale that I step on each morning to track progress. I don't have to even look at the weight - because  it automatically uploads it to my Virta dashboard using cellular technology.  I will confess that I tried to get my phone's bluetooth to sync to it. Then I realized that it doesn't use my phone for that.    

I do use an app on my phone to stay in touch with the program and get to resources I may need when I am out shopping for Virta Friendly foods.  Over the weekend I got a prompt to 

"Go grocery shopping. Take a picture of what you bought and send it to your coach! "

Here is what I bought (Some of the things were already in my pantry/fridge so I just added them to the pile.)  

There are a couple of items that I have never tried/used before.  The heavy cream is one that I have only used for making ice cream....but I have tried a splash in a cup of hot chai tea and it is very tasty and satisfying.  But looking at this, I wonder "Did I forget the Brussels Sprouts?" I hope they are in the crisper and I just forgot to pull them out for the photo. 

At any rate, I think I am set for success.  Wish me luck. 

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

More Stamped Fabric

Another month has rolled around.  I still have not quilted the last section of my quilt.  But that doesn't bother me at all.  I have been having fun with fabric paint and fabric.  

Here are three more pieces.  The first two were done in the last batch I posted about.  The third one was done later.

 

Except for the star stamp on the middle photo, all the stamps are hand carved by me.  On the top fabric, I used some bottle caps as stamps and some drywall tape for texture.   With the drywall tape, I placed the tape on a sheet of wax paper (or something that didn't matter.) Then I rolled paint onto the tape with a brayer.   Finally, I impressed the painted side of the tape to the fabric and patted it down.  I know I used a piece of wax paper to avoid getting the paint on my hands.  That said, I never escape with clean hands. It is a messy job, but it is fun too.  I suppose I could wear gloves and sometimes I do.  

Friday I will be taking a couple of online autoharp classes. I am hoping to improve my playing skills at least a little bit.   

Meanwhile, today I have workers in the back yard installing my new septic tank.   This will be a two day process as they put in the tank today and will add the field lines tomorrow.   They had to remove my flowering bush that I have had a "Love/Hate" relationship with.  I will miss the spring blooms, but I won't miss the thorns when I need to mow that area.

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.