Pretty In Pink

Well, I thought my life was going to get back to normal, with mum's last therapy appointment last week.   However, the same day as her last appointment, my aunt had surgery on her knee, so we spent the day at the hospital, then went to therapy.  Tomorrow night, I'll be spending the night with my aunt, so I can ferry HER to therapy bright and early Wednesday morning!  Anybody know where I can buy a used taxi cheap? *G*

My poor aunt - she lost a lot of blood during the surgery, so they gave her something to help.  Unfortunately, they didn't read her chart to see that she was allergic.  SEVERELY allergic.  She's a nurse herself, has taught and specialized for many years, and she really gave them what for.  I hope they listened!

I have been sewing, off and on.  We're in winter-type weather now, which makes me ache, so when I saw a neat tutorial for a shoulder rice bag, I had to try it.  Mine is not nearly as pretty as hers, I used white muslin in case it didn't turn out right - but I LOVE it.



Seriously, if you know anyone who has shoulder or neck pain, or just tense muscles, make them one.  This is an awesome tutorial!  From Alissa at Crafty Endeavor.

Then too, I've been stitching.  I finished block two from Kaaren's Raggedy and Friends quilt....



I'm still plugging away on block one from Homespun....



Plus two other stitcheries.  But before I finish those, my cousin is going to have a baby, and it's a girl!  The shower is December 1.  Remember those half-square triangles I was making?  I picked out all the pink, and am making a baby quilt.  I fortified myself first.


Love it when my son goes to Walmart.  He always gets me something.



I have all the triangles pressed open now, just have to cut off the dog ears and figure out the layout.



I really like those stars on my design wall.  But I also LOVE to see them all marching in the same direction.  I don't know...maybe I'll have to make two....plus, I've decided with the rest of the hst's, the non-pink ones, I'm going to make hubby a quilt for Christmas.   He's the only one I haven't made a quilt for, and he's the one who bought me my sewing machines.  About time, don't you think?  And besides, it's the only thing he doesn't already own.

So, I'll see you on Thursday, I'll be gone the next couple of days...happy sewing!!!

Soon.

One more week - one more week of therapy for mum, and then I can get back to blogging.  I've missed you.

My heart is very heavy for those who were affected [and continue to suffer] by Hurricane Sandy.  The response has been dreadful, although you won't see it in the news.  Please keep them all in prayer, and if you can, please give to the Salvation Army, whose response has, as usual, been wonderful.

My sweet friend Kelly, at I Have A Notion, got so excited at Quilt Market that she fell down and broke her hand.  She had pins put in today, if you'd like to go give her a shout-out, I'm sure she'd appreciate it.  But do tell her not to reply, because knowing her, she'll try.  You just can't keep a good woman down.

I've not been doing a lot of stitching.  I am still working on four stitcheries, but you know I'm slow with them.  I did get an early Christmas gift, from my son John....



A Happy Light!  Oh did I need that.  And it works.  I used it today for the first time, once in the morning, and once in the afternoon - and I never lost my energy today.  I felt so alert all day.  Really unusual!  With the grey days we're having now, I've been wanting to do nothing more than sleep.  Hopefully this light will continue to work all through the long, cold winter.

I also got an early Christmas gift from my mum!  I told her I really wanted to get out and browse the thrift shops for a teapot, and she told me not to...I asked why, and in a small voice she said "because I got you one....do you want it now?"  Did she have to ask?????



So nice having my Earl Grey in the evening, and I don't have to go downstairs to keep filling my cup.  No emails from tea purists, please, telling me how bad bags are....because I love them. *G*

A few weeks ago, my girlfriend Patty came up from Florida.  We think it might be as long as 36 years since we've seen each other.  It was lovely!  She came up to enter a quilt into a quilt show.  Her mum made quilts, all original, and always supported the festival at a church near here.  Her quilts are AMAZING.  Here are some pics of Patty's mum's quilts....




The one above was incredible.  She pounded real flowers into the silk, then embellished by hand with beads, and inks.  All hand quilted.



This one, above, told the story of - oh dear, now I've forgotten - her uncle's life?  It was amazing, and had stories and family signatures all over it.

And now, the one Patty made, to honor her mum - Patty is not a quilter, but I think she should be.  This was gorgeous.  Silks, some from her mum, laces from her mum, the pictures do not do it justice.





Her mum made the flower panels.




I think it's brilliant, and it made me cry.  Her mum was the sweetest woman you could ever meet.

I'll leave you with more quilts from the show - and then I'm going to bed - I get to sleep all weekend!  See you soon!