Really Random Thursday, 1/25/18

Up until just a couple of days ago, I have not been allowed to drive post surgery. So I have had a lot of time at home and not much energy to do anything.

But I finished something--an afghan I started several years ago. I'm really happy that it's completed!

The pathology report on my thyroid came back--everything is benign. When I texted my Gruber's friends the good news, Stephanie said we should share a glass of wine. We did, via photos.

This is Stephanie's picture.

And mine.

I had these socks on, but I was the only one at home, so I had to pour my own glass. :)

It was fun to get out for a bit on Saturday night. Fresno Pacific University was having a crab feed as a fundraiser. Mark and I had purchased a table for eight. The food was good.

The company was the best part--Jason and Jill, Christa and Aaron, Grace and Nate.

Yesterday, I was able to pick Levi up from school and we had an ice cream date. I don't think he was too sure about taking a picture with these three monkeys.

Mark texted this to me the other day. I have no clue what he's talking about.

Hope your weekend is a good one.

Friday Finish: Svenimento

I made an interesting discovery. I was going through my blog posts from 2017 in anticipation of printing them into a hardcover book as I do each year.

One of the first posts from January 2017 was about Supernova Starburst, a quilt I took along to the coast when we were there with the family so Aaron could photograph it. He also photographed Svenimento, and in my blog post I stated that I would show that quilt the next week.

Turns out, all of 2017 has come and gone. And there has been no mention or Svenimento, along with several other quilts that have not been documented here. Hmmm...

photobombed by Jason and Charlotte

Your may be curious about the name, since it is obviously the Swoon pattern by Thimbleblossoms. Using an English-Italian translator, Svenimento was what popped up. I'm not sure if there is a literal translation of the word "swoon" in Italian, but I like the sound of svenimento. 

In 2006, Mark and I went on a Mediterranean quilting cruise. I came back from that cruise with two pieces of fabric, both purchased in a tiny shop in Sicily, just a meter of each because at that time the cost was $25/meter.

Oh, how I loved the fabric with the blues and greens, accented with black. Maybe it reminded me of the water. It sat in a drawer for years while I tried to come up with a worthy project. When the Swoon blocks began popping up on the internet, I knew I had found the project.

I decided that the center of each block would consistently be that beautiful Sicilian fabric, and I started pulling other fabrics from my stash. 

I don't remember when I actually started making these blocks, but then they sat in a pile until finally I decided it was time to turn them into a quilt. 

I know there are some other pictures of this quilt somewhere in the disaster that is my digital photos, another project for 2018. If and when I find them, I will update this post. 

This fabric still makes me swoon, and brings back such happy memories. 

Quilt: Svenimento

Size: 80" x 80"

Pattern by: Thimbleblossoms

Made by: Me:

Quilted by: Darby Myers

I'm linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts, TGIFF and Confessions of a Fabric Addict Addict. Have a lovely weekend. 

Really Random Thursday, 1/18/18

It's been an interesting week, most of which I don't care to repeat.

After years of the endocrinologist following some nodules in my thyroid, and with me worrying about the nodules getting larger and larger, and what that might represent, the decision was made to remove the whole thing. In the course of evaluation, it was determined that I also had an overactive parathyroid gland (we have four parathyroid glands, something I didn't know), and it was imperative that the wonky gland be removed for sure.

So here I am last Friday at around noon, underneath a nice comfy warming blanket, prior to a three-hour surgery.

The only thing I had to bring to the hospital was my insurance card and photo ID. I took them in this special pouch made by Heidi, which she had sent me earlier in the year during that difficult time when my parents were moving from their home to assisted living, along with this sweet note. It seemed appropriate for my surgery as well.

I was able to go home early evening on Friday, and Mark has taken most excellent care of me.

These flowers were on our front porch when we arrived home, a gift from friends, Rene' and Michelle. Nearly a week later and they are still just as beautiful!

Mark has been doing the cooking--nothing unusual for him as he does most of it anyway. And I have spent most of the week under a special quilt from a few years ago, when Carla and I did a block exchange where we made two sets of blocks each, one to send the other and one to keep for ourselves. It's been so fun to look at all the fabrics--lots of good memories.

In the morning, before I had to go to the hospital, Mark attended Levi's award ceremony. Charlotte's was the day before, and we weren't able to attend that one--Mark was working and I was doing pre-op stuff, but she got some high honors as well. So proud of them both.

I've watched a lot of TV, some sports, some Netflix bingeing. I think Atlanta has the right idea when it comes to the key on their basketball floor.

Christa brought the grandkids over the day after surgery, along with a plate of the most delicious chocolate chip cookies made by Charlotte, and some very sweet get-well cards. Gabe's was particularly intriguing for a couple of reasons. The way he wrote the word "love" is very creative.

I think it would be really cute embroidered on a piece of white fabric and then surrounded with a patchwork border using some of these fabrics.

Also, he dots the "i" in his name with his age, a cute idea but one that I will definitely not be copying for myself.

This arrived in the mail from my sweet friend, Mary. We've become good texting buddies over the last year, and this was an unexpected treat.

This seems like a good spot to tell you some jokes. I had no idea that head and neck jokes were even a "thing."  The first is courtesy of our son, Aaron.

Why don't you ever go bowling with your thyroid?
Because they only throw goiter balls.

And this is from my friend, Janice.

How do you kill the circus?
Go for the juggler.

Since I've been lying around and spending hours scrolling through Instagram not doing anything too strenuous, I noticed that Windham Fabrics was offering a prize if you posted a picture on Instagram of something you had made with their fabrics. My Pattern Play quilt came to mind immediately, so on a whim, I posted a picture. Imagine my surprise when the quilt (lower left corner) was chosen for Honorable Mention--and some kind of prize is on its way!

About a year ago, I signed up for some online classes from Emily Quinton of Makelight. It's a beautiful site with lots of help on photography, social media engagement, etc. They have developed a tool that will show the most common colors from the pictures you have posted on Instagram over the year, along with some other interesting insights.

Based on all the posts from 2017, these were the main colors in my pictures, based on my most popular images.

I pay a monthly fee so this year I plan to concentrate on making the most of what the site has to offer.

In April, I'll be teaching My Swedish Ex at Authorized Vac and Sew.

I stopped by last week and they also had a little vignette with the bonus quilt from my Spool Play pattern. If you are in the Fresno area, I'd love to have you in my class.

I've been good about following doctor's orders and taking my medications. Just so you know...

Really Random Thursday, 1/11/18

Oceano Dunes, part two.

Friday morning was spent digging in the sand.

Or reading.

Mark and I took a long walk on the beach.

You can tell the kids are growing up--next they spent a couple of hours in wetsuits. How have they grown up so quickly to this point??

The only way you can get this group to take a serious picture is to promise they can pose for a goofy picture next.

Ella wasn't keen on going into the water. But that's okay--we were content to watch from a distance.

Group pictures.

Around dinnertime, we built a fire.

The next morning, like nearly every other morning, the kids came up the stairs to our studio apartment and jumped on the bed. Really, I think one of the main reasons is so they can get a little extra screen time. But we're not complaining.

They played in the sand a little more before we were completely packed up. This series of pictures of Gabe is one of my favorites from the entire weekend. I'd love to know what was going through his head.

It is always fun to see what the kids write in the guest book.

We had lunch at Brooks Burgers in Pismo.

Aaron, Christa and the kids headed home. Mark and I headed to the Kon Tiki Inn in Pismo for another couple of days.

First it was foggy.

Then sunny.

The clouds in this picture are fascinating.

Too soon it was time to go home.

It rained off and on. We saw the beginning and end of a rainbow at the same time.

And meantime, my brother, Jeff, and his daughter, Elizabeth, were duck hunting in Nebraska. I just had to add these pictures.

Looking forward to Oceano Dunes in 2019.