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Monday, February 20, 2017

Sadie Approved!

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It’s not easy getting the binding and sleeve stitched down when Sadie has firmly claimed a quilt as her own!

How could I dare move this sweet girl off of her comfy place?  I had to wait until she had woken up and moved off of her spot so that I could get the job done.

And what a job it was – this quilt is BIG!

On large quilts, which most of mine are, I tend to set a goal of one side per evening. 

If I add in the stitching down of the hanging sleeve and the label, it can take me 5 evenings of relaxing stitching and TV watching time to get the job done.

I started in on Tuesday night after arriving here Tuesday afternoon.  It actually took me 6 nights to do it all, but I love my evening quiet stitching time.


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I love the back!

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The “Raining Cats & Dogs” fabric is a crack up!

I had nearly a 3 yard piece of this fabric that was gifted to me, but really no project to use it on, so it joined some other pieces of “limited yardage” and cleared out quite a section of the “use it up blues” shelf for the win.  Buying 8 to 9 yards of backing even if the fabric is on sale is a daunting prospect, and I love the surprise a scrappy back gives when you turn the quilt over to reveal the scrap party.

It didn’t stop with the back, it went on to the hanging sleeve too:

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Check out the sleeve!

Y2K Millennium fabric complete with 2000s in every size and frosted with gold glitter.  Oh yes.  gold glitter!!  The Y2K fabric thing has become quite the joke and I can count on fabrics of this type showing up on my doorstep or in packages at guild meetings in rapid succession as quilters try to ditch it and pass it on to me.  Only QUILTERS know about the Y2K fabric craze from the late 1990s.  We all had great plans to make quilts and use this in borders, backings, setting triangles, whatever as a way to document quilts that never came to fruition.

Let it here be known that I NEVER buy fabric with metallic anything on it.  But I will find a way to use it up in a tongue in cheek way if it ever ends up in my stash by way of donation!

If the joke of showering me with millennium fabric is on going, I’ll turn it right around and USE it!  Here as the hanging sleeve it’s perfect.  It’s quirky, it’s blue, it sparkles, and there are at least 2,000 cats raining down on the fabric below it.  Bye bye 1/2 yard of y2k fabric!

But this is the best part;

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Dawn’s Early Light in the early light of dawn.

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And yes, I love that border to bits!

Be looking for this quilt pattern in my next book down the C&T pipeline.  There are still a couple of quilts left to finish for this book before I can really start digging into the writing side of things, but I’m working every spare moment to get this book published.

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We spent some time with this the other night.

The Hubster arrived at the cabin on Friday evening not feeling too great.  He said “I’ve got this rash….” and he showed me.  “That’s shingles.” I said, and we were off to the doc in a box in Wilkesboro because it was after 5pm and we needed to get him on meds right away.

I was smart enough to grab my busy bag on the way out the door.  FastMed was FastNot.

“Yes, it’s shingles.” confirmed the doctor, and called in a prescription for us to the local CVS.

And while he is dealing with this (Quite well I must add, we caught it within 24 hours of the first sign of lesions) THE THING on my face that was up on my left cheek, and then was gone --- has now reappeared on my right jaw.  Not a dental issue as dental problems don’t move from one side of the face to the other.

I’m leaving the cabin this morning and going to see MY doc.  It’s got to be stress.  There has been plenty of it on-going, and even through I am fairly good at breathing, reassessing, and tackling things in a way that clears my plate and leaves more breathing space, there is just a lot going on in our lives right now.

The sale of this cabin.  The digging of the septic tank to add another line so it can be LISTED in the MLS as a 3 bedroom cabin and not merely a 2.  The purchase of the Virginia property and all that goes with that in 3 1/2 weeks time.

The mail order side of my business running at full capacity.  Magazine deadlines.  Book deadlines.  Teaching and lecturing events.  Travel.

And now added to the plate is the fact that The Hubster is up for a job at corporate in Hickory which is moving to a new facility in Charlotte within the next 1.5 to 2 years.  If he gets this job, we will be moving our PERMANENT home as well.

Stress??  No matter how much I love my life and what I do and how well the system runs, the body still feels all of this as overload.

So what is “THE THING?”  Who knows.  We need to find out for sure.  Right now it’s a ball under my cheek along my jaw line about the size of a marble, and the lymph nodes below the jaw are working in hyper drive to fight off whatever it is.  My appointment is at 1:30pm.

And I fly to Dallas tomorrow.

So today, I’m SLOWLY packing for my trip.  I’m breathing in.  I’m breathing out and letting go of anything I can’t tackle before I leave.  I’m focusing on margins in my life.  Room to just BE.  And not BE DOING.

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Quiltville Quote of the Day!

Vintage four patch quilt found in North Carolina.

This is a hard concept for me to grasp. But we have to slow down long enough so inspiration can come in.  Winnie the Pooh was a wise old bear.

Be sure to leave yourself some margins in your own daily life!

Packing it up and heading home --


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42 comments:

  1. so much going on in your life - update us when you can - curious as to what the problem is with your face - hope the hubby is feeling better.

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  2. so right...the border is the absolute best thing about this quilt....another gorgeous scrappy! so thankful for my (mostly) serene life....

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  3. Beautiful quilt and I am glad Sadie approves. That is always important. So sorry to hear that your husband has shingles, also stress related and I know he must have a lot on his plate. My Mom suffered from them 20+ years ago. Even with the shingle shot there is no guarantee you won't get them, but maybe a lighter case. Hope whatever is attacking your system will be found out so that you can get some relief.

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  4. Wow Bonnie - hope everything goes smoothly and you begin to feel better!
    Stay positive and try to think of every day as a gift and as an "adventure".
    - do take care of yourself :)

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  5. Bonnie, stress is a killer. Now I do realize your day to day life is beyond hectic, but please please find down time. No one can go over the speed limit for a long time and not get caught... getting caught can mean serious health problems.ThinkingperhapssweetSadie was made to sit on your quilt to give you some bit of not doing?
    A friend told me when I was all but chasing my own tail busy that we are human BEINGS not human DOINGS. Smart woman!!!

    Get smoe rest...
    Hugs
    JulieinTN

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  6. Sorry you are stressed. Body telling you to take a break. I got a cold sore Christmas day, I have never had one in my 64 years. Dr said stress probably, slow down. So slow down girl, stop and smell the roses.

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  7. We don't always feel stressed but our bodies will tell us. Maybe a nice massage before you leave? I hope you relax on the plane ride - I know once I am on the plane there is nothing else you can do and I can relax - it is all out of our control! Take care of yourself-and I am glad to hear the hubby is getting better. Good catch!

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  8. I am really looking forward to when this pattern/book is ready for release. There are so many interesting elements in this quilt. The colors come together exceptionally well too.
    Hope you get some speedy help today the the doctor's. Stress really can wreak havoc on our bodies even when we don't recognize it.
    Glad that you caught Hubby's shingles in time for the medication to make a difference. It can be so nasty sometimes. Yuk.
    My heart and prayers are with you for a diagnosis and quick recovery.
    Shari

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  9. Dear Bonnie. We all care about you very much. Please consider slowing down and giving your body time to get well. And for the book orders why not employ someone for a few hours to do this while you are away. You've got to look after yourself. You are what matters to us.

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  10. You are correct to "breathe"! Just breathe. Life for many these days is stress. Sure hoping that is what this is. I love, love, that quilt!! I have talking turkey on my radar but this one may come first!! Prayers for a great visit with doc.

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  11. Hoping the health issues straighten out quickly. This quilt is beautiful like all the rest. I decided you are a genius designer after finishing my en Provence top. I never could have done it without you.

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  12. The border on this quilt is stunning. Please slow down a little and relax, easy said but hard to do. Stress is one thing my body can't handle well and it has taken me years to learn a little bit on how to handle it, but it still gets me when I least expect it. Each little stress is like a block and when the blocks get to be too much for our bodies, the body lets us know with some ailment.

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  13. Oh wow, that are a lot of plates that want to be kept spinning in your life! Hope 'the thing' gets to disappear for the right reasons and that the hubster recovers quickly. Such a good outset to be aware of all that's going on and to keep good old Pooh bear in mind. Stay well & I really like your finished quilt!!

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  14. I am a MASTER at doing nothing! Wish I could package some to send to you, and then you could package some of your doing to me! Lol

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  15. Such a busy business woman! Feel free to send me all of your golden and coppery & silvery metallics & frosted fabrics. I LOVE THEM ALL! LOL I would not enjoy moving from the triad area to a bigger city, but the homes there are beautiful! It will all be a dream come true. Mind your health & peace of mind above all else!

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  16. Stress NOT! Two BIG Moves sounds like a recipe for STRESS! Thanks for sharing all you do. Sorry about the DH's Shingles and THING on your face. I hope DR can help figure it out.

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  17. Your quilt is just lovely! No wonder Sadie finds it perfect to nap with. Praying you find out what's going on with your "unknown" issue, and for your hubster to heal quickly. I agree stress can cause lots of things to happen. Lots of friends are sending prayers and well wishes to you both.

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  18. Hi Bonnie,
    Sorry to hear your hubby has shingles and you are having troubles. You might want to think about slowing down a little. We all love you. Your newest quilt is beautiful!

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  19. This quilt is fabulous and I love love love the border, it's really popping.

    So sorry to hear about the thing again. I had something that sounds a little like you have. The lump moved to different parts of my face. Turned out to be a "fat" lump. Hopefully doc will be able to diagnose the problem and prescribe something to help you quickly, particularly with you having to travel to Texas. Good luck to the hubster, shingles is a nasty problem.
    Linda.

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  20. Bonnie,
    I am so happy that Dawn's Early Light will be in your next book. It is beyond gorgeous! I, too, have been gifted Y2K fabric, now I'm ear marking it for this quilt!
    Sorry to hear about your stresses. I suffered a bout of shingles at 20. Doesn't matter how old you are, our bodies will tell us when enough is enough. Safe travels and wishing the best for you and the mysterious lumps. Take Care!

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  21. Hi Bonnie,
    Just to let you know that you are in my prayers. Life challenges can be stressful can't they?
    Hang in there... hope that your hubby is doing better. Shingles are also caused (or brought out) by stress. Soooo, only thing to say is..... STOP STRESSING!!!! LOL, that is easier said than done I'm sure. Hang in there... as you have said, Breathe.... Wish I could help take some of your stuff off your plate... just know that we all are thinking of you and your family.
    Try to enjoy the little things.
    Jean

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  22. Would love to have you in the Queen City. There is beautiful countryside north of the city where I live. There is a company that is moving there headquarters from Hickory about 2 miles from my house. You would love it here.

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  23. This is something I had to teach my mom..."Just say 'no'"... I have no problem with this, but some people do. Sometimes it even means saying 'no' to yourself. Even when it comes to a job change...we can say 'no' and stay content with where we are. Hate to see you find this lovely new cabin in Virginia, and then move farther away from it if the hubs changes jobs. At a certain point in life, we have to be content to just 'be'. I would love to downsize, but our circumstances make it difficult, so we're stuck in a house that's way to big for the two of us, takes me forever to clean, when I'd rather be sewing, but it's cheap and we love the area....so I've had to learn to be content and 'be'. It has really helped my stress. I'm not telling you what to do, but maybe it can help.

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  24. You are one busy lady! Hope you get the THING sorted out. If the Hubster's shingles bother him much, soak a cotton ball in raw apple cider & dab it on the lesions. Helped me a lot. He might smell like a pickle but it will feel better. LOL

    Your quilting/writing/mail order business has grown so much that maybe it's time to hire some help...even if just for the mail order part. Nobody can do it all after a certain point.

    With everything else going on in your busy life the thought of moving your permanent home as well must be daunting.

    I love that Dawn's Early Light quilt....I just don't know if I have it in me to make all those little stars and all those blue HSTs. LOL The string blocks would be a piece of cake.

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  25. Love the quilt, can't wait for your new book. Wishing both you and hubbie a speedy recovery.

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  26. Wishing you and hubby a speedy recovery. Love the quilt.
    P.S. All bears are wise.

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  27. Dear Bonnie, Prayers for you and hubster. Hope the Drs find fast relief for you both! Your Dawns Early Light is on my to do list. Gorgeous. Glad I have some time till the book comes out to do some of your other quilts! You are an amazing women!🙏🐝🐝🤗❣❣👏🙏

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  28. Prayers of healing for your hubster!🙇

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  29. If hubby transfers to Hickory, come join us on Lake Norman! It's about 1/2 way between Hickory and Charlotte. So then when he transfers to Charlotte there won't have to be another move.

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  30. I absolutely love your quilt, it is beautiful. Prayers for you and hoping you are able to find some time to relax.

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  31. Ditto to Karen Jones. Take some time off for yourself. A moratorium on blogs, posts, anything unnecessary. Just post "Watch This Space" for a day or two, We will all survive. Virtual hugs and real prayers from us all.

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  32. I will keep you and your hubby in my prayers! Hugs!

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  33. 10 years ago I developed shingles on the left side of my forehead. Saw the Dr. too late for meds to help me. So painful that if a stray hair touched it I cried. I still have pain and tenderness on that side of my face! Exacerbates if the stress level gets high. The good news that might help your DH.....I found that rubbing wet fingers (very carefully of course) over the shingles would almost stop the pain for a short time which time increased over the weeks. A wet wash rag was way too rough. I carried a small bottle of water around for months. I certainly hope you got the shingles vaccine for yourself. I'd hate to see you develop shingles too. Good luck.

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  34. Dear Bonnie, Sorry to hear stresses are breaking out in your household. We love your daily blogs and frequent contacts but we are an extra stress ,too. I forgive you in advance if you take time between posts to make your life a bit less stressful. And we will still ,Sew on, Johanne Hagar

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  35. Got me going with the mystery lump, so I googled. I googled "mysterious lump in jaw moves" Lots of stuff came up. Maybe there is a clue there amongst the many articles. At least help you pose a question or two during your visit to your doctor.

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  36. Oh no. .feel better. .. I use lavender to help with stress. .

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  37. Dawn's Early Light is beyond gorgeous. There a just no words. I'm so sorry you're under so much stress. We think we're invincible (and I really think you are), but sometimes our bodies give us warnings to "Slow down, you move too fast", as the song says. I hope your doctor can shed some light on the cause for the moving mystery bump. Good luck and God bless. Pam

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  38. ooo the stuff we jam into our world, trying to sell 2 homes, building barn day job and only sanity is your mystery quilts, sew BREATH and heal quick.

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  39. I hope your moving marble is an easy fix. I think I read somewhere to breathe in for a count of seven, hold for a count of 5, exhale for a count of eight. It supposedly calms the "chattering monkey" in your head. I do it....and it works...not sure if it is just because I have to concentrate on counting or what, lol. Best wishes in your search to calm your stress. That is a tough battle. Thank you for sharing your life.

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  40. positive thoughts and prayers... you got this! You know what you need, easier said and diagnosed than done... the Rx is before you. Love, hugs and happiness to you. I love that little brown dog! MomCats

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  41. Bonnie,

    Wow, you sure do have a full plate. I will pray that all turns out well for both of you.
    The quilt front and back is marvelous.

    Love your daily e-mails.

    Hugs,
    Patty

    Safe travels

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  42. OH my poor lady! I know even good things in life cause stress. I will continue to pray for you & your poor hubster! All you can do is take a deep breath & do the best you can for today. Let Tomorrow worry about when it gets here (as much as you can). We care & WANT to help. There is NO shame asking for help!!

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