Shop Hop Giveaway link

Hop on over to the Atlanta Quilt Shop Hop Blog and comment for a sweet giveaway. Even if you will not be in the Atlanta area, Melisa from Sweet Home Quilt Co. is looking for ideas for a shop hop. (Pssst ...tell her I sent you because I really want to win one of those oh-so-cute Moda bake shop boxes.)

Couch Potato-y

We have all been feeling very couch potato-y here at Chez Crazy Cat Lady. The confluence of dreary weather and scary economic news makes us just want to curl up on the couch and take a nap.

I think this would be called Couch Mashed Potatoes.....

Is it really Sunday evening???

Where did my weekend go? Not much happened around here this week and I was so looking forward to getting a lot done this weekend. Of course weekend days somehow are much shorter than week days (I think week days seem to be about 34 hours long and weekend days about 14 hours long don't you?)

I did get some sewing time in and finished the top and backing for E.'s flannel quilt. It is a BIG quilt (for me--about 72 X 93") and I have no where in the house to lay it out flat so here it is folded up. It is all ready to go to my long arm quilter once she gets back from Florida.

I also worked on Bonnie Hunter's Orange Crush (aka my Mardi Gras quilt). I was farther along than I remembered and finished up the 30 spinning star blocks. I have to square up the pieced part of the album blocks and get those sewed together. Maybe I will finish it up by the end of the month.

This quilt is a lot of fun to make and I'm using all stash except for the main yellow.

The new "Irish Quilting" magazine I ordered from Pat Sloan's website came in the mail. It's a really great magazine with lots of projects I would like to make someday. Although I need another magazine subscription like I need a hole in my head, I may check out the subscription price....

It's a Beautiful Day!!!

Today has been an incredible, momentous day. I took a personal day to stay home and watch the Inauguration with S. (and the cats--who napped through most of it). What an amazing day!

(photo courtesy of CNN.com) No matter who you voted for, you have got to be proud of our country seeing millions of people cheering and smiling. It was fun seeing all the places I visited just a couple of weeks ago. In honor of a day staying home, watching TV, and staying wrapped up in quilts (it's freezing here in the ATL), I brought out some special coffee.

Pike Place Special Reserve that you can only get at the original Starbucks in Pike Place in Seattle. This is some awesome coffee. A nice bold roast, great for celebrating.

I also enjoyed some time sewing while watching the Inaugural parade. I finished the top for my Valentine's Day table topper. The pattern is "Holiday Charm" by Bloom Creek. The fabric is Moda from a year (or two?) ago.

I hope I'll get this quilted and on the table before next month. I am now working on the borders for E.'s flannel quilt and hope to get that finished this week.

PS: check out the new White House website. Very cool! And with a blog too!

Three Day Weekend

I love three day weekends. I get to fit in quilting, working at Starbucks, a couple of naps, some shopping, some cooking, movie watching, and errands as well as the usual laundry, vacuuming etc.

Saturday was our first official Silver Thimble Quilt Club meeting (Karin and Pat both have photos on their blogs. I worked on a Valentine's Day table topper (which I hope to finish up and post tomorrow). Kristie worked on one of her (hundreds?) of BOMs (she does absolutely beautiful work!).

Sunday was Starbucks/Whole Foods/cooking/naptime/movie watching day. I made an herbed pork loin roast, steamed broccoli, and Parker House rolls (I buy a big roast to last for several dinners and just change the veggies each night). S., E., and I watched Appaloosa (a good Western but not as good as Unforgiven). I finished sewing the binding on my Vintage Charm quilt (fabric line is Roman Holiday by Moda).

Here is a detail of the backing fabric, which is just yummy and the fabulous job Peggy did on the longarm quilting.

Today, I took Gomez (aka Gomez Megabux) to the vet for his check up. He is A-OK and complained the whole time as usual. I dropped him off, grabbed my Bad Melisa bag and went to Sweet Home Quilt Co. to see what was left after Becky and Karin's recent visit. Lo and behold, Kristie was there with her own stack of goodies. I picked up a couple of goodies too.

A jelly roll (of course) to make yet another project from the book Jelly Roll Quilts (the fabric line is Flag Day Farm by Moda) and a Moda Honey Bun (40 - 1 1/2" strips) from the Hello Betty line (really neat 1940s colors) and pattern. I can't wait to get started on these projects! Just as soon as I finish a couple of UFOs.

Happy Birthday Mr. Poe and Dr. King

Along with Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, today is Edgar Allan Poe's birthday. Poe is one of my absolute favorite authors (just ask and I can recite "The Raven"). So much so that I named one of my cats after him.

See the resemblance? (left, Edgar Allan Poe, author; right, Edgar Poe, troublemaker)

Both Richmond, Virginia, and Baltimore, Maryland, are celebrating Poe's bicentennial birthday all year. I don't know if I will make it to one of these cities for the events but it will be a great time to dig out The Collected Works of Edgar Allan Poe and reread some of America's best short stories and poems. Cheers to you Mr. Poe on your 200th birthday!

A mental health day

I called in sick to my day job today because I have had a headache since last Tuesday when my truck was stolen and I really needed some rest and some time away from people and some peace and quiet for a bit. I have been really angry for a week now and need to get away from all that. My truck is repairable and the insurance will take care of it after I fill out tons of paperwork and pay my deductible ($500 thank you very much!). But I am just mad that someone out there decided to take my truck for a joyride and to steal other people's stuff and cost me lots of time and money. And cause me to be mad as hell for over a week now. I work two jobs and pay my bills and eight years ago I bought this truck new and it was the first new vehicle I ever had. And soon I will get it back fixed but always knowing that someone took her and drove her badly and it just makes me mad. I also will have to get a car alarm for it because I will have to park in the same deck everyday and if I don't, the thieves could just take it again.

I went on Monday to the impound lot and got my belongings out of the truck. The interior was a mess--dirty and spilled drinks--papers and maps from my glove box all over the place and random other people's stolen things (a car stereo, CDs, a checkbook, junk) in it. The ignition, steering column, door handle, front tire and rim, back bumper, and various other small things were damaged and will be fixed. I am over this now and back to better things on this blog (knock on wood).

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I thought I would finish posting some photos from my New Year's trip to DC. Better things to think about.

There is a statue of Ulysses S. Grant on a horse surrounded by 4 lions that overlooks the Capitol. I loved these lions--a vision of noble grace and courage.

Here is the Capitol building on a beautiful day--look at that blue sky! Work was still being done on the stands where President-Elect Obama will be sworn in next week. You can see Grant's statue in the right foreground.

We walked Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House and saw all the viewing stands and bleachers being set up for the Inauguration.

Here is President-Elect Obama's viewing stand for the parade under construction. This must be the most photographed bunch of plywood and construction workers in the US since everyone else was taking photos too.

There is the White House in the background. In my mind (only in my mind cause it was cold), I threw a bunch of shoes over the fence. Take that and good riddance! (Ooops need to watch that whole anger issue).

This is the Hay-Adams Hotel where the Obama family is staying until today when they get to move into Blair House. I'm in a better mood now are you?

I Cleaned My Sewing Space Yesterday

Yes, I broke down and cleaned up my sewing space. I now can see some parts of the floor and more importantly, have a space on my table bigger than 2" x 2" to sew (yes that's inches!) Although I hate cleaning (I would rather be sewing!!!!), I love the results. I am happy happy to have some sense of somewhat more order in my sewing space (it's still rather cluttered with UFOs in bags...). Of course my allergies went haywire and I was snuffly for the rest of the day and up half the night (I am extremely allergic to dust--another reason not to clean).

I started cutting Bonnie's Double Delight Mystery Quilt. Wow that's a lot of cutting! I also found a Valentine's Day table topper project made of charm squares so got that cut out too. Bonnie's mystery from last year "Orange Crush" (aka my Mardi Gras quilt) was unearthed and I figured out where I left off.

Sewing Goals for this month: Finish Orange Crush and V-day quilts. Get working on Double Delight.

Have you all seen Anne's great BOM over at Bunny Hill Designs???!!!!

It is sooo cute! I am printing out the patterns but probably not starting this until later. I think my mom would like this applique--Mom, check it out by clicking the link above! Wonder if Karin will join in on this BOM since she is taking a dreaded "A" class soon (dreaded "A" = applique for Karin).

At last this week is over

First, thanks to all the wonderful bloggers out there for all your kind words about the loss of my truck. Second, I am glad this week is over and I hope next week is really boring with no drama.

For those that want a truck update (if not scroll down for some photos): My truck "Xena" was stolen on Tuesday. Thursday I had to go to south Georgia for work on an overnight trip and while I was there, I received a phone call that my truck was found by Atlanta Police. Xena is now in the impound lot (in an unpleasant part of ATL) with a broken steering column, body damage, and a flat tire. I got back into town yesterday afternoon and picked up the rental car that my insurance co. arranged and now I have wheels. Monday I get to experience the adventures of "ATL Police Dept. Standing in Line Waiting for Paperwork" and "Visiting the Impound Lot" and "Seeing How Bad Xena is Damaged". Stay tuned for these and other adventures coming soon!

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Now on to other more pleasant things: Here are some photos from my New Year's trip to Maryland/Washington DC area. S. and I went to visit his family and pick up E. from Dulles airport. Due to horrendous traffic on the Beltway, we took a scenic route from Dulles to Maryland via a car ferry across the Potomac River. Not much has changed in a couple hundred years, you can still cross the Potomac by ferry boat, only in cars rather than with horses. For the record: I refrained from any George Washington impersonations while crossing.

We spent one day in DC and went to the newly refurbished Museum of American History. There were several neat displays on the first floor of all kinds of different stuff including a quilt. (Sorry for the glare and the partial photo, it's not easy taking photos around other tourists)

I loved this peacock block so took a detail of it. Maybe this will end up in one of my future quilts, or we can just admire it here....

We had lunch at Old Ebbitt Grill, which is "Washington's oldest, most historic saloon", founded in 1856. The current location is in this Beaux Arts former theater building

The interior is beautiful and full of antiques.

Our booth had this incredible statue of a dog. Loved it and wanted to take it home with me!!!! Isn't it just fabulous???!!!

Not a good way to start the year...

Well my first day back to work in the new year and (I still can't believe this) my truck was stolen from my work parking deck. Oh my beloved truck "Xena" is gone! So instead of sewing and downloading photos from my trip, I have been on the phone with insurance people, etc. Nothing of value besides a pair of shoes, a Michigan ice scraper (can't find good ice scrapers here in the south), some magazines, and coffee mugs was in the truck. Well things can only get better from here right?

Return from the Mid-Atlantic

Hi all! I am back from a short trip to Maryland/Washington DC. Thanks for all the comments on the posts while I was gone. I have a zillion blogs and emails to catch up on. I will post photos of my trip (including the building of the Inauguration viewing stands and the Obama family's temporary home) soon.

Gift cards

Did anyone receive gift cards for the holidays? I know a few of my lucky friends received gift certificates to Sweet Home Quilt Co. Since S. thinks I have WAY too much fabric, a gift certificate to a quilt shop was nowhere on his list of things to buy me. I did get a Barnes & Noble gift card though and since I wanted just about every book in the store, it took me awhile to pick something out. I decided to get a book I probably wouldn't buy myself but that I have been eyeing every since Martha mentioned it on her show. I love cookbooks--I read them like regular books and often check them out of the library. I especially love to bake and this book is a delight to read and look at the gorgeous photos. Although a baking book goes directly against one of my goals to lose weight this year. Guess I'll have to bake and take stuff to work and Starbucks.

On the third day of January....

Three cats are snoozing.

Hand Sewing Clutch

I received this gift from my mom for Christmas. She made this handy little tote for carrying hand sewing supplies.

It's made from a potholder.
What a cool coffee potholder! I put a chart of embroidery stitches in the pocket.

Inside ziploc bags are sewn in to hold your thread, needles, scissors, and a seam ripper. Close it up with a loop and button and you are good to go. Thanks Mom!

Happy New Year 2009!

Hooray for a new year!! 2008 was getting to be a bit much to deal with don't you agree? It just kind of fell apart near the end. Here's hoping that everything will be better in 2009. I looked at my quilt-related resolutions from last year and sure enough, not one accomplished. We are just going to roll those over to this year (kinda like cell phone minutes).

I really really really am going to finish up some UFOs this year. The number of projects in bags is crazy and needs to be cut down. This will also help clean up my sewing space so it doesn't looks like San Francisco after the Great Earthquake of 1906.

And I'm going to finish making all those jelly roll quilts that Karin and I are working on from our favorite book "Jelly Roll Quilts" by Pam and Nicky Lintott. (PS: my mom is hooked on this book now too hee hee!)

I'm going to support my favorite LQS's (Sweet Home Quilt Co. and my favs in Michigan) as much as possible. Gotta make sure the shop owners keep buying new stuff to tempt us. When the economy is tough, it is so important to support small businesses (PS: and Starbucks!)

I realized that I missed my blog-iversary but it comes at a crazy time (Dec. 19). I will do a giveaway sometime soon to celebrate a year plus of blogging.

I also want to thank all the fabulous bloggers that I have met this past year!!!! Y'all have inspired me with your creativity, made me laugh and smile--especially at the posts about your pets (Rembrandt gets a special shout out for being so darn cute and silly), and were gracious enough to comment on my ramblings. Blogging and bloggers have become a fun part of my life and I can't wait to see what everyone is up to in 2009. Thank you again and hope everyone is spending the day exactly how they want to (sewing!!!!)!