30 done, 5 to go

This evening I took some time to make more blocks for Judy's Labor Day weekend challenge quilt. 30 blocks completed and 5 more to make. When I get the blocks done I will put the project away for a while. I haven't decided what I want to do for the border/s, so I will go back to working on other projects. This afternoon I listed all the books I have read in 2007 and 2008 on Library Thing. There is a widget on my sidebar for those interested. Just click on Library Thing and it will take you to my list.

Today I am very grateful for my cousins.

Happy Labor Day to all.

Using Fabric

For the past few days I have been wanting to dig into my fabrics and pull things for Judy's Labor Day challenge. This afternoon I had some time so I rummaged around for a focus fabric and finally found this graphic print (center of the blocks) that I had purchased on sale to use as a backing. There will be enough to make plenty of blocks and have leftover for whatever Judy designs for the border. The fabric also lends itself to picking many different colors for the sashing. In addition to the colors above, I have blues, darker greens, other reds, pinks, golds and yellows. These six blocks were very easy to make so I am anticipating that I can get all the blocks done this weekend.

I was also thinking that it could be done in a scrappy manner with different centers. My scrap bin is screaming for some patterns like this to help empty it quickly.

Slump

Not long ago I put up this card table in my office because I was going to start cleaning out files. Instead, the card table has become a dumping ground for mail and things to put away. My desk also has things to file and put away, and on that gold paper is the print out of Judy's Labor Day weekend quilt challenge............as if I don't have enough projects going already.
My laptop computer sits in front of my desktop computer because I was going to switch everything to my laptop and retire the desktop and of course it hasn't happened yet because that would take a day or two of concentrated effort and I can't even seem to find the energy to clear off my desk or the card table.
Why do I fall into these slumps? I got up this morning full of energy and did thirty minutes on the treadmill (a miracle for me) and since then I have moped around the house, reading, playing computer games, and just wasting time.

I'm waiting to hear news about my sister. She is being moved today from the hospital to a rehab facility and I'm waiting to hear when and where so that I can go and make sure she is comfortable. She has a husband and a daughter that can do all that, but I like to get involved too because I love her and want her to be happy. So I wait and can't seem to engage my mind on anything else.

I need to bury myself in a project but I just can't seem to get started. Anyone out there have any good advice? In the mean time, I think I will go back to my book.

Day 6 of 1,825

My five-year goal is now in day 6 and so far so good. Another five rows each day have been knitted on my blue shawl. Can you see that it is getting longer? A little of the border and the first line of words were stitched on my La-D-Da piece.

My plan for the last two days included some quilting time, however I had two major interruptions - one good and one not so good. The good - my cousin and her husband stopped by on their way home from vacation and we had a nice visit. The not so good - my sister is in the hospital again so I have spent time with her.

Gratitude - Today I am grateful for the nurses, doctors and hospital staff who are taking such excellent care of my sister.

Goal follow-up

On Monday I made the big decision to set a five year goal to finish all my UFO's, clean out my files, and declutter my house. That gives me 1,825 days to reach my goal. Today is day four and I am happy to report that for the last four days I have knit five rows each day on a shawl I started ages ago. I continued to do a little quilting on my Road to Indy quilt.
The Christmas quilt that Lindsay and I are making along with the youth at church got pin basted and some quilting done last night by the youth.
Today I finished up the top motif on a La-D-Da stitching project.
There is still time today to do some more quilting or stitching. I'm not setting any world records, but I'm hoping that by doing a little each day I will happily reach my goal. 1,821 days to go.

Oh, I forgot. I also set-up the card table in the office so that I can more easily clean out files. No files have gotten cleaned out and unfortunately the card table has become another place to dump stuff. Hmmmm. Not good.

Setting a goal.....

My birthday was last week and I turned the grand old age of 70. Oh my. Time to get serious about where my life is going. Some may think I'm a little late in my thinking, but I am forever optimistic so setting a goal at age 70 doesn't seem out of line.

FIVE YEAR GOAL
By the time I am 75, I plan to have all unfinished
projects completed, all files cleaned
out, and all unnecessary clutter gone from
my house.

Now all of you out there that are chuckling please know that this is a serious decision I have made. Can I do it? Well, I'm hoping that my blogging audience will help me be accountable. So please check back with me in August of 2013 to see if I made my goal. Thanks.

Pin basting

My Road to Indy quilt has been sitting waiting for my decision whether to quilt it myself or send it out. My free-motion quilting skills are not the best, but I decided that this quilt could be quilted with all straight lines and therefore I could do it. Therefore I spent the afternoon and evening pin basting. Even though I used the proper tool for closing the pins, I still managed to catch the skin on my index finger over and over again leaving a nasty hole. Ouch.

The backing is a crazy orange fabric so I filled a couple of bobbins in preparation. Tomorrow I will start the quilting process. It will be a challenge for me, but I'm looking forward to some good results.