I was trying to think how many states this little quilt has traveled to and been quilted in. TOO MANY!! I lost count!
These pics are from my phone, so they might not show the quilting detail really well, but I'm tickled pink. I finished the quilting in Georgia a couple days ago, sitting on Joan Garland's couch :c)
I had a wonderful time with the Hall County Quilt guild....plus the other 30 or so visitors that came from as far away as parts of Alabama. One lady also came from somewhere like Michigan, she happened to be in town visiting her son and came to the lecture/trunkshow/booksigning I did at a local shop after the guild meeting. It's SO fun to be in touch with quilters from every where. Like we are our own Sorority Phi Beta Quilta or something ;c)
Many of you may remember my dilemma about a year and a half ago when I was moving to NC from SC, downsizing my house, and having to sell my piano because there wasn't room for it. It broke my heart, but I did get rid of it and thought "good riddance" because my life was too busy to really have time to practice and play.
Over the past 6 months or so I have really really wanted that piano BACK! Only there was still the problem of where to put one. I don't have inside walls that are in good locations for pianos. There is that whole issue of having to tune one...
Through talking with a friend, and then seeing my mom's digital piano when I went home to Idaho for Mother's Day and trying it there...I really decided that this would be GREAT for me. I ordered a yamaha, and it arrived last week! I am SO tickled with it. The keys are weighted action, they feel like playing a real piano, doesn't feel or sound like an organ, it SOUNDS like a piano! So I have had fun reclaiming sheet music and feeling very rusty with it all, but loving it.
The piano is down here in my studio with me.....I moved an antique treadle in a parlor cabinet out to the other half of the basement and rearranged things, and it is perfect in here up against the wall!
I realized something...that my music was the one thing in my life that was NOT quilt related. And it was important for me to have something that got me AWAY from even the quilting. I feel balanced. It is a stress reliever to me to sit and play, even if I am rusty (okay, I suck!) and I have missed it!
I'm packing the car right now (well as soon as I hit send) to head to Ohio and Indiana in the morning. I won't be back til the 20th. I will try to post on the road, but I'm not promising anything! I get down to the end of the day and there is just no energy left....
Oh, and here's a funny. This is when you KNOW your planets are aligned or whatever:
I had to fill book orders today, and I needed to print stamps from stamps.com. If you've not done this..here is how it works.
You have a little "bank account" that you set up like a debit thing....tell stamps.com how much money you want them to charge your credit card for, and then you can print stamps up to that amount.
There are special sheets of paper that you have to print on.
Printer #1 was OUT of ink. I needed stamps PRONTO. I thought I'd try printing the stamps on printer #2, my laser jet. When you say print a full sheet...you see the money DISAPPEAR from the little "bank account" reserve fund....however much it costs to print the whole sheet. In this case, about $65.00!!
At this point, the printing should commence. But it started...and stopped...and said PAPER JAM!! But the money was now GONE from my account! crap crap crap crap....
When this happens, you are supposed to clear the paper jam....print out a refund report..mail it to stamps.com in the snail mail (with ANOTHER stamp!) and in about 6 weeks they will credit your account. AUUUUGHH! $65.00 down the tubes!
I still couldn't get the printer to go back to normal, and then I thought.....maybe...just maybe....that the printer memory STILL had the stamp printing job in it! So...I turned off the computer, and when it rebooted....yep! the printer memory took over and I was there with the form to PRINT those stamps!!! ANd they DID print..and I was NOT out the $65.00 for 6 weeks. Can you spell RELIEF!??
So something must have been right in my world today....amazing.
And with that story, I'm off to finish packing, get a good night's sleep, and hit the road bright and early!!
24 comments:
Have you tried using
https://sss-web.usps.com/cns/landing.do
Prints label and postage and you are done and done!
Good save on that printed postage deal. Great quilt, sorry about the piano, but this new Yamaha is a nice sanity saver. :o)
Good for you! It is a real bright lovely creation ... TTFN ~Marydon
PS Pop by my post today, please.
good thing they printed out ok, have a safe and fun trip. see ya when ya return.
Funny you wrote about having trouble letting go of your piano. Today mine was hauled away and I cried. It has been in the family for about 45 years but no one plays it anymore and it was huge - a 1906 upright grand! Now to rearrange all the furniture without it in the way.
Bonnie, loved your stamp story --- I'm a sucker for "happy endings" :) Beautiful Quilt! love the "Love" thing going on it and the colors. Your phone did a great job picking up the quilting details. Happy trails to you.... Victoria
The quilt looks lovely and how great you can play music again. I learned to play the accordeon when I was young. Bought one again a few years ago. It's so great just playing for your own fun and bein your own audience.
That is a great quilt!!
Such great news you have a "piano" to play again.
Safe travels.
Great quilt. I'm a geek during the day, and quilting keeps me sane. I really do need something different in my life. Work helps quilting, and quilting helps work. Funny that way.
So glad yo have a piano again! I pulled out my guitar the other day but am badly in need of new strings...at least that is my excuse for it (me!) playing so badly!
Have fun on the road!
I so want to make a quilt out of solids. Thanks for the inspiration!
Happy for you that you have a way to play piano again! Moonlight Sonata and Fur Elise, two of my favorite pieces to play.
Love the quilt, too.
the quilt is fabulous - congrats on the finish. would be fun to list on the label all the states that quilt has visited. You could start out with some of the blocks made in paris. well traveled quilt. ayayay - that's a long road trip. hope you have a great time.
I have a grand piano in my living room that takes up so much space....ugh it came with my husband :0).
Drive safely, take a raincoat and umbrella, there has been nothing but rain up that way.
Happy Sewing
Your quilt is beautiful. Love the bright colors. Glad to hear you have a piano in your room now that you can play on.
Be careful with stamps.com. They were sucking money out of my bank account without permission. I never signed up with them and they wouldn't make good.
Congrats on getting your LOVE quilt done. I remember you working on it when we met in IL in June. It looks great!
See you in Auburn, IN in Sept!
i play the piano too...and couldn't live without being able to play once in a while...it is for my sanity...just like quilting.
http://allyjoserudition.blogspot.com/
Bonnie, when you get a chance, come see a new Boxy Star on my blog. I loved this pattern. It was easy, and fun and I love how there is just enough inches in each block to show off the fabric. If you cut it too small, then you can't see the fabric, and if you cut too big, it's a big bulky block. Am I making sense here? LOL This quilt was a great fit for my fabrics and I'll probably make a 100 more before I die (in 50 years, Lord willing).
You're the best. Thanks for all your love and passion you share with the world...and ME. If you come to Tampa, FL, come over and sew with me. I'll let you dig in my scraps (as if you need them). LOL I used to work at Olde Green Cupboard, so I've got some good stuff I'll share.
God bless.
Congratulations on the finish and the stamp rescue!
So glad you got yourself the little piano. I agree that music is great for balancing one's life. Enjoy!
Sounds like a love - hate thing with the stamps...glad for memory....
Love your Yamaha...I play also and it is very relaxing...I play by ear and some be note...I recently played for a wedding and that really got me in the groove again as I was rusty...have fun on your trip....
I know how much you will enjoy the piano, that's wonderful for you! I would have been beyond exasperated over the stamp disaster, so happy to read that it all worked out. Whew! Hope to see you soon, safe travels!!
I've tried the Yamaha as well, and I'm satisfied. Especially when you live a milion miles from the the nearest decent tuner.
Your quilt is very nice, as always...
Best wishes
Inga Helene
I love the piano story....
music.... it's a whole other kind of patchwork...
stamps....I prefer going to a REAL post office (not a private company).
I know what you mean about missing your piano. My son just recently got a keyboard to replace ours. It's not the same of course, but it's a lot easier to transport!
Loved meeting you in Indy!
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