Scrapbooking with Jane...again!

Jane and I went scrapbooking again last night, and again were super productive. 

We'd ordered pizza the last couple of times we were here, so this time we decided to be healthy and get take out salads from the salad bar at the grocery store on the way there. 

Yum!

It was a pretty full house last night, and one of the women showed me a new product that I'd never seen before: the Snapload system from Pioneer. 

The instructions aren't particularly clear, so luckily I she helped me set it up. 

Basically, this system replaces the posts (and the post extensions) in post bound scrapbooks in a way that allowed you to MUCH more easily add, take out and re-arrange pages. You put 3M holders on each side of the scrapbook, and then use the binding thingy (which are just similar to zip ties) to go through the pages in the holes, tighten the pages together, and then snap into place. 

I'd been wanted to add some more pages to the wedding scrapbook, so I could include pictures of the rehearsal dinner and the honeymoon, but hadn't yet because I'd dreaded messing around with the posts. Now I can add pages whenever I want without anxiety. 

Here are the five pages I got done last night:

The N-boy and I right before the ceremony. 

The Gerth Family!

Some pictures of my dress, shoes and flowers.

The N-boy and I with our best-woman and maid of honor. 

And my FAVORITE picture of last night!

Madison, WI and the Cutest Baby in the World

A non-crafty blog entry again today, but we do have pictures of the current most cutest baby in the world. Really, given the baby bug that has bit me, I should be applauded for not having EVERY blog entry chock full of adorable baby pictures. Of course, I think if I blogged only about other peoples babies it would be a little creepy. 

But a few occasional babies seem ok to me!

Last weekend the N-boy and I went to Madison to celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary. The big day isn't actually until May 26, but last weekend was the only time when the planets aligned and we were both able to get away at the same time. Madison is a special city to as, as the N-boy lived there when we were dating, and we got engaged there. That means when we visit, we also get to see friends. Reproducing friends! 

This is the latest baby in my Cutest Baby Collection: he's just six months old: 

I think this pictures shows what I'll be getting into when we finally pop a child of our own. 

We stayed at a bed and breakfast called The Arbor House, which is located right across fro the Arboretum, and is on the bike trail. 

They're an ecologically friendly inn, with the BEST home cooked breakfast on the weekends, wine and snacks and dessert each night. They have a sauna, a full kitchen for guest use, whirlpool tubs and Burt's Bee's shampoo! 

We are definitely planning a return trip there, and maybe even before anniversary number five!

May already?

How is it possible that it's already May?? The year has gone by so fast. I thought I'd take a moment to review where I am with the goals I'd laid out in January. I apologize if this isn't the most interesting blog, but it helps to keep me accountable!

1. Run a 5k

    ---Sunburst 5k on June 6??

I had been doing really well with getting exercise in, but have fallen behind since I returned from Paduch. I need to step this up a bit!

2. Post 125 blog entries

Hmmm.... well I've got 22 done. So not too bad, but I look forward to doing more in the coming months. 

3. Piece the following projects:

  -Mystery quilt

  - Teacup quilt

  - Challenge quilt 2

  -Valentine's Day foundation piecing Done!

  -Limeade

  -Over the Rainbow

  -Six more projects!!!

4. Quilt the following projects:

  -Cat practice panel

  -Serenity

  - Freddy's quilt

  -Challenge quilt 1

  -Valentine's Day quilt Done!

  -Teacup quilt

5. Write Grandpa 1 time a week, and write 52 other letters to people

Hmmm doing only so-so here. I need to get back on track, especially with writing letters to Grandpa. 

6. Keep a book log of books read (I've always wanted to do this. This is the year!!)

-Was a bit behind on this, but now I'm all caught up. I've read 31 books this year so far!

7. Attend Mass/church 25 times

-Was doing pretty well on this, especially around Easter. Need to try to get to more services!

8. Control Journal/Flylady
-Getting there with babysteps!

9 Attend NAMI support group 20 times
-I haven't been going as much lately, but I've been getting the support I need from other sources, such as friends, family and work!

10. Redecorate one room in the house

-We've chosen colors to paint the bedroom, and have decided on the furniture we'll get for it! So we're moving forward!

11. Plant a garden

-The plot is put in, and we bought seeds today! Now we just need to wait to May 15 so we can plant! 

12. Scrapbook 50 pages

--20 done so far! And I'm going to a crop again Friday night.  I may actually finish the wedding album!

Overall, I think I've done ok. Some things (like scrapbooking), I've made more progress on this year than ever before. Some things I need to keep chugging away at with baby steps and consistency. Here's to a productive rest of May for me!

Making progress...

I've been making some significant progress on the baby quilt, which is good since she was born yesterday! A healthy baby girl named Chloe; mom and baby seem like they're doing well. Now I just need to get this finished up so we can take it when we visit!

I've actually been pleasantly surprised by how quickly these large blocks have come together. It felt like it took FOREVER to get the nine sets of nine nine-patches (say that nine times fast!) together, but now we're moving right along!

Off to keep working! Assisted as always by my helper kitty!

Paducah Day 4 and Assessing the Damage

Saturday dawned with cloudy skies and the sad realization that today was our last day in Paducah.

We started the day out at Carson Park where we wanted to see Eleanor Burns' live show, and shop her store that they'd set up out there for the week.

First we snagged seats in the performance tent, and then we entered the wonderful land of the ....

A huge tent filled with nothing but fabric for $5 a yard. I mean, how could this be anything but wonderful and magnificent! I ended up with just a few yards of pieces that matched some thing I'd already picked up at Hancock's of Paducah. Because I clearly needed more still...

Then we wandered over the the third large tent where there were books and patterns and notions and...

Eleanor Burns herself taking pictures and signing books!

 

After the show and some more shopping, we headed back to Hancock's of Paducah for one last hurrah. 

I found this sign funny, as it shows how many WOMEN are at this show! 

With that, we braved the outdoors (it was still raining off and on-heavily at times) and went back to Fluffy the car for the long drive back to Indiana. Despite the rainy weather we made good time and were happy to get back to the cats. 

And the cats were happy their humans were home! (And no, their eyes are not that creepy in real life.)

Assessing the Damage, or 

Paducah: the Aftermath!

On Sunday we sorted through all of our goodies, got the Momcat's stuff packed up and ready to head back to Nebraska, and put my things away. 

It doesn't look that bad when it's all just lumped in a pile...

But when we spread it out we ended up with a table of fabric:

And a table of patterns and notions:

This is all of our stuff put together. But when I counted  things up, my fabric alone was 35 1/2 cut yards plus 5 charm packs and a jelly roll! I had more than the Momcat! We were sad to see the trip come to an end, but I think we have enough fabrics and ideas to keep us busy for a while!

AQS LOVE and Paducah Day 3 (Friday)!

This has been a great week for me as AQS selected me and this blog as their blog of the week! I'm really honored that they chose my blog, and I'm so excited to be able to put their award button on my page! I really did have the best time at the quilt show, and have loved being able to share the adventures that Mom and I had there. You can check out the winning blog each week via their facebook page. 

Thanks, AQS!

And now, back to our previously scheduled programming...

Paducah Dah 3 (Friday) 

We started Friday morning with another run through Hancock's of Paducah. Well, really more of a slow waddle as we were so loaded down with fabric.

Here's the Momcat contemplating her selection. She (like me!) is going to make a Kaffe Fassett inspired diamond quilt! 

It should be a stretch for both of us!

Our next stop was the National Quilt Museum-the Museum of the American Quilter's Society!

Afterwards, we headed back to the convention center where we had a nutritious lunch of strawberry shortcake. A local boy scout troop sells these every year for a fundraiser. 

WE LOVE THEM! 

After lunch, we finished touring the quilt show in the convention center and then headed over to the rotary civic center for more vendors and the display of WWII victory quilts. 

In addition to these historic quilts, they also had some interesting sewing related propaganda from that time period. 

After we'd spent more money buying fabic, we again went back to the convention center for dinner and an evening class with Klaudeen Hansen. We took a class from Klaudeen last year and had a great time, so we were eager to have a second one. This year's class was called "Diagonal Illusions." 

Here's a what it looks like; this picture has four completed blocks, two of mine and two of moms, so don't mind the different colors. 

It's really cool because your eye is drawn to the 16 patch in the center, and the outside four patches, but you dont' immediately see how the block is assembled. 

We worked hard and had a great time. 

Afterwards, we went back to the hotel and crashed for the night. Next up, Paducah  Day 4 (Saturday), the drive home and seeing what the damage was! 

Paducah Day 2 (Thursday)

Our second day in Paducah started off bright and early with a lecture by Kaffe Fassett and Lisa Lucy Prior on making and using a design wall. They demonstrated how they use a design wall to work with color and patterns in a quilt. It was really nifty to see how the fabrics work together.

Kaffe also showed us his latest knitting project in progress!

And of course I got my picture taken with both of them!

After the lecture we hit the vendors again,  focusing on getting to the booth where Marie Bostwick, author of the Cobbled Court series, was signing books and had her brand new book in the series for sale. This series of books focuses on a group of women, all who end up using quilts and their friendship to get through tough times. I found her books last year when the N-boy was still very, very ill, and they really hit home with me. I started crying as soon as I met her and started talking. The poor woman! 

But she was absolutely wonderful!

 

We grabbed some lunch and then headed back to the lecture room for her lecture: 

She also introduced me to her Daughter-in-law, Molly, who is about my age. It was great to see someone there who was a younger quilter! 

Following the lecture we headed downtown to do some shopping, eating and attend the Eleanor Burns show. 

I think this one picture expresses exactly what happened downtown: 

I need say no more. Although we also hit the AQS hurt book sale in the Finkel building, and more vendors! 

For dinner we ended up at a Mexican restaurant we went to last year; we were very disappointed to hear that our absolutely FAVORITE place had closed (supposedly something about the IRS!)

Very Sad!!!

As the Momcat was taking this picture, another quilter got my attention and said, "Have you seen the storm drain yet?" 

And agreed it deserved a picture. Only in Kentucky...

After dinner we hit a few more vendors before going to see Eleanor Burns Live on Stage presenting "Strip Tzzzz!" It was a great show, and we had lots of fun. 

The perfect way to end the day!