Do You Hulu?

Corny title, I know. So...long story short, my craft room TV is currently mounted on the wall in our bedroom. Just temporarily. We are looking for a bigger TV for up there and then my TV will make it's way back down here. In the mean time i'm having to watch TV on my computer. Unfortunately, my video card, TV tuner and Media Center don't want to play nice together. Searching around the Internet I found Hulu.com. There are a ton of full feature movies on there, including two of my favorites: Sense and Sensibility and Fifth Element. Score. There are periodically "commercials", but they are quick and hardly noticed. I just need the background noise when i'm crafting or computing in the evenings. Sometimes I listen to Podcast's, but I enjoy TV chatter more. Thought i'd share this great resource.

Did you notice my new button on the right? Follow the link to click for free food to be donated to animal shelters. It's free to click and can be clicked daily for a donation of "0.6 bowls of food". Spread the news!

Crow Quilt Quilted

Remember this from way back when? It's not really a crow quilt, other than the fact that one of the fabrics, used sparingly, has a crow in it. But somehow this quilt has become known as the crow quilt. I've been working on it for...2 years now, I think.

This was already loaded on the HQ16 frame and the first row quilted...then the HQ had to be taken in for repair. Well, it is all repaired and working wonderfully. As usual, I free handed my quilt design. I decided to do stars (a first for me) since the fabric has a homespun/country home feel. I always love the last stitch of quilting.

After quilting, I pulled it off the frame and squared it up. Now it's already for binding. You'll see the finished product once I have that on. Next week, maybe?

Saying Goodbye

I had a call from Golden Bond Rescue today, they were helping to find a home for my Golden Retreiver, Casey, as I felt we were not giving her all the attention she needed and deserved. Her foster mom found her collapsed on the kitchen floor Friday and had to rush her to the vet. She had a distended belly and they were worried she might have internal bleeding, so Golden Bond Rescue decided to give the vet the okay to do exploratory surgery to determin what was wrong and to try and fix it. Well, once they opened her up they found her full of tumors, so they made the decision to put her down. I am so greatful to this small rescue group for making the decision to try and find what was wrong and see if it could be fixed before just putting her down. This is exactly what I would have done. I kick myself every day for letting her go, but try to remind myself it was really for the best. I would have liked to be there for her the last days of her life, but I think I must have been meant to be spared having to see her like this and having to make the decisions. I have always said she was like my child, and I meant it. It is definatly for the best that she be put out of any misery she was in, but I am fairly certain she was comfortable while with us. I never noticed her in any pain or uncomfortable. We had just done some routine blood work before going to Golden Bond and all seemed to be in order. So I at least feel comforted in the fact that she wasn't suffering for any length of time.

2008 NW Quilting Expo

We went to the show on Thursday...but baby is keeping me so busy these days that i'm not getting to things like I use to. So there is a delay in blogging. I think his "needyness" coupled with eatting every hour at night is taking a toll on me. I go to bed early. Still not into naps myself...but can't really nap when he doesn't nap himself. *sigh* This was one of my favorite quilts. I usually like more contemporary quilts, but this was just so amazing. I really just want to crawl under this and watch a movie. The Geologist side of me really liked this one and this one, too. And this one was quite amazing!

My mom, Liz and I went with our boys. As usual, we got everyone commenting "oh, they must be twins!". It didn't help that we had them both in pumpkin hats, but they are both gestationally the same age (to the day) so I can see how that might be perceived. That, and Liz and I are like twins seperated at birth anyways. Everyone was oogling over them like i've never seen before. I think it took us so darn long to get through it this year (because it was about half the size of the last two years) becuase everyone stopped us to say hi to the boys. It's so nice to know the boys are worth stopping for. At one point Liz and I were looking at a booth and left my mom with the boys in the strollers and we turn around and my mom is swamped with people looking at the babies. I wish I was quicker with the camera that time. Both little guys did so well. Brice really likes going into quilt shops and the such, so full of bright colors and patterns. Perfect for a babies eyes.

Lookie what I found! I have search high and low all over the internet - and I finally found some at the Expo! I bought the rest of the bolt! Now to craft away with it. ...but first I think I need to roll around in it. Check out all the great pictures of quilts and booths here.

I've Been Sick

So there's been no crafting. I'm doing better...unfortunately baby has chosen today to be needy. And he "needs" mom. Maybe i'll sneak downstairs after he falls asleep, I have ideas swirling around in my head... Since I have no crafting, check this out:

1. Quilting - Love the quiting using different color threads - must try! JC is very clever! Make sure and check out her shop of goodies, if only to look at her beautiful fall-craft photography.

2. Heather gives a tutorial on making label - I learned a few new things.

3. Liz shared this blog post with me - cute idea...and funny post.

*Can I just say how great it is using Google Reader and using the "share" feature with your friends!?! It's such an easy way to share things you like from blogs your friends might not read. Anyone else using reader?

4. I love a good Flickr photo stream - I found nanaCompany's today. I especially love this!

5. I need more fabric like I need a hole in the head...but i'm thinking I need this, this, this and this for my stash.

There's a video of Brice laughing here. It was really dark, but it's still cute to hear! He's 4 months old today. Has it really been 4 months already? He just gets more adorable by the day.

A New Challenge

I've signed up for JC Handmade's latest challenge. The long of it: here. The short of it: Send a 12x12" square of fabric to JC, she cuts it up with 10 other squares and sends you back a piece of each. Now we all have to do something with our 10 pieces of different scrap fabric. Take a picture and post it to the Flickr group. I've got an idea in mind...now to pick out the fabric and mail it tomorrow.

More Fabric = More Projects

Sure to be another Disappearing 9 Patch - these charm packs just work perfect for that!

Some fabric to go with fabric already owned from XOXO The Cat line by Wendy Slotboom. The fat quarter with notes from the cat is quite funny. The wash line is to finally make a fabric bowl from this long owned book.

Some scrapts for the stash.
1/2 yard cuts of some discounted Katie Jump Rope fabrics. I sure wish I had more from this line in my stash.
Some 1/2 yard cuts I just HAD to have...I have no idea why I HAD to have them...other than they were nice and cheery!

And my favorite thing - a stack of great fabrics! There are some cute pictures of Brice here today. I am still working on some of the UFO's, but the HQ is being serviced and I need some fabric for another one and a thrid quilt just needs a little more sashing sewn on and then it's on to the HQ for quilting. I'm hoping to make it down to my sewing room for some much needed clean up this week. I want to finish my hour glass quilt...

Fun Things to Check Out

1. Heather over at Heather Hales Designs is having a September Giveaway. She is one of my regular reads - I love her embrodery...i'm still working on my tea towel from her. It's almost done. In fact, its in my car, I should finish it!

2. How About Orange posted about this one: Colorstrology. Here's what it had to say about my January 4th birthday: TALENTED STRUCTURED CREATIVE Your ability to see things that others often can't is quite extraordinary. You are a builder and an architect. Wheather you are designing a floor plan or brainstorming conceptual ideas, you are capable of envisioning things before they even exist. Colorful and unique, you like to do things your way. There are times, however, that you need to leave room for the opinions of others. Your personal color encourages you to build your dreams. Wearing, meditating or surrounding yourself with the color Cognac helps you connect with the seemingly impossible and partake in the creation of beauty. Cognac Pantone 18-1421

Buggy Barn and WIP

The last day of our vacation was spent visiting two shop favorites. The first was Bear Paw in Coeur D'alene, ID. They always have cute fabrics and are packed to the brim with all sorts of kits. Next post i'll share some of the fabrics I got.

Buggy Barn is a favorite, too. There are small, but such a neat little place to visit. I didn't get much this year, but I would have loved to get this cat on a barn kit...$150! And that wasn't including the backing, batting or binding. So for a quilt top, that seemed a bit pricey. I just bought the pattern.

I spent the first two days trying to catch up on a ton of blogs. I had been trying to keep up with them on vacation, but everyone was blogging SO much. So I spent the first few mornings, while baby napped, in front of moms gas fireplace reading with my coffee. Lady loves to see her "sissy"...that would be me.

We are staying at my moms this week so hubby can finish up some surprise remodel work. I can't wait to see it! I should say it's a surprise in the fact that he's doing it while i'm gone, it's something we've been planning and he knew color and furniture choices. So i'm working on my pile of WIP's. It's nice to finish up some things.

The HQ (long arm quilter) is giving us some trouble again. I played with the tension, played with the needle, ripped out quilting on this quilt 4 times! We called service and they said to turn the needle a bit to the right and see if that works - seemed to have worked when I was on the phone with them. So now to try quilting again. I'm doing stars. A first for me...I like to freehand, so i'm not following a pattern.

Quilter's Corner in Deer Lodge, MT

Today we checked out Quilter's Corner, Etc. Lots of quilts inside on the walls and a great fabric selection - but really, if you "judge a book by it's cover" (which I do a lot of the time) then you might pass this one up. I know we probably would. But it's a gem. I think this little building could be snazzed up pretty easy. I'm not sure why they arn't utilizing that front window. If you're in Deer Lodge, MT do stop in and find yourself some great fabric. They didn't really have much in the way of designer fabric, but what they did have more than made up for it. Prints that I had never seen before.

I got a cute Halloween panel and some fat quarters. This should be a quick wall hanging.

And then some more 30's prints to add to the stash. Really, I have no plans for these, I just like to have them on hand for scrappy stuff.

I love Montana - it really is Big Sky Country. I snapped this just before heading across the boarder into Idaho. Tomorrow we're checking out shops in Coeur D'alene, Spokane and of course the Buggy Barn in Reardon. Can't miss the Buggy Barn. We should be home tomorrow evening, but we're planning on heading out again Tuesday morning to the beach for a few nights. We're taking sewing machines and projects. But first, we need to agree on a house to rent. I'm kind of "spoiled". Husband is working away at home on projects and wants them to be a surprise...so I might be staying the night at my moms house tomorrow night (after picking up sewing machine and projects) so that I don't ruin the surprise before it's done.

Detailed blog posting here with some new baby developments and more pictures here.

Elaine's Quilt Block

We didn't have signal while at North Rim Grand Canyon the other night and then I got a touch of food poisoning (I think) last night, so I had a little delay in posting. At the last minute we decided to go through Salt Lake on our way up to Yellowstone.

This morning we stopped in at Elaine's Quilt Block in Salt Lake City. If you read Chickpea Sewing Studio's blog you may have heard her mention this place before. We got to see her most recent quilt hanging - very cute in person. I love the quilting on it. Unfortunately, it was such a last minute stop, we didn't get to contact Juliette to let her know we would be there. It would have been neat to meet her and Finn and say hi. But we'll be back - it's usually an annual drive through city for us.

The shop was very cute. And they have a great variety of fabrics. But what we especially liked (this is moms favorite thing) is that they had lots and lots of kits available. She loves walking into a shop, seeing quilts and other sewing projects and being able to just buy the kit. It's interesting that not many shops do that. I found a pattern there that I really liked, but they were out of it, so it will be mailed to me when they get more in. It was a cute dog quilt, perfect for a little boy. The charm packs will most likely be another disappearing 9-patch. And the yard of dog fabric is going to have to made into a quilt quick. I know, I know...I told myself no more dog/cat prints. But this one was done up in a quilt and was too cute to pass up.

We went through Zion yesterday and we're headed towards Yellowstone today. Not a lot of quilt shops along the way, we're taking all the small, back highways to get to our destination. But i'm pretty sure there's a shop in Jackson Hole, so we'll be sure to stop in there. Of course there is a more detailed blog posting here as well as more pictures here.

While Visiting Family

We went to Las Vegas (Henderson, actually) yesterday to one of our favorite quilt shops, Quiltique. We really like Nancy's Quilt Shop as well, but we were all so tired at the end of our shopping day that we didn't make it there. There is always next year. This is a bunch of fat quarters I got there. I had a ton of Halloween prints, too...but I put those back. I'm going to get the Moda Charm Pack of them instead. The bottom half of the pile is Amy Butler and the rest is a mix. You know me and fabric stacks... By the way, if you're ever in Henderson/Las Vegas, NV, do stop by Quitique. They have great fabrics, lots of them, and tons of kits. They have some of the cutest quits. Nancy's is also a great stop. From what I remember from last year, it was full of greats fabrics and books.
I found this book at Barnes & Nobel - Zakka Sewing: 25 Japanese Projects for the Household. It's fun to see some of the Japanese books being translated into English. There is some really cute stuff in here - here you'll find some more pictures from inside (as well as the ISBN).

A bloom on a cactus in my aunt's from yard. More pictures of the trip here and more on our adventures here.