Mug Rug Swap

I had been part of a FB Canadian mug rug swap this spring. My swap partner sent me the loveliest mug rug early on, which I have not been able to take a picture due to all that is going on in my life right now. I would be very lucky to be able to see the top of my sewing table, never mind where one of my sewing machines would be located.

Anyway, this past Friday night I went to Finish It Up Friday in Cambridge and made up a cute mug rug for my swap partner. I did not get a chance to finish it up until Sunday evening... Life is busy... I was able to get to the Post Office yesterday afternoon and it is now on it's way to Canada.

Now I need to take a picture of the one I have and post it, here and on FB.

I have been teased that I have not been online posting to my blog of late, yea, I have been working.

Hey Miss G! Hope you are enjoying your boys home for the summer and the fact that I am back posting!

Thank you for stopping by :)

Ciao for now!

Monday morning :) Checking in after a long break... again

Ok, so Google Reader has gone away... A few of the blogs that I have seen on Facebook today have dead links. I am wondering if this blog will be among the dead as well.

I am temping at another position, within healthcare, not far from home. This morning hubby had to drop off his car in Wellseley, pick up my parents car in Newton Corner, and go to work in Cambridge... So I got to get up early, follow hubby to drop off his car, drive him to my parents house, and then drive to work...

I do have the most wonderful husband :) Just saying as today my parents return from being away for a week and a half and he is going to take off 1/2 a day to go pick them up. I am sure that he will also be doing some shopping with them afterwards as  there is nothing to eat in the house.

As I said before, I hope this blog is working and posting... it is a strange blogging world without Google Reader...

Ciao for now!
J

If you have been using Google Reader to keep up with your favorite blogs, you received noticed a LONG time ago that it was going away. You probably thought, “Oh, I have plenty of time.”

Not anymore! On Monday (TOMORROW!!!), Google Reader will be no more. If you’ve been using it to read my blog posts, start following me by email or Bloglovin’. Don’t know what Bloglovin’ is? I’ve got you covered!

Bloglovin’ is a fun, new way to keep up with your favorite blogs. Here’s what you need to know about switching:

1. It’s easy, I swear!

The process to set up your account is quick and simple. Check out my detailed instructions below to guide you through the process step-by-step!

2. You can import your blogs from Google Reader with the click of a button. 

Yup, no manual adding blogs for you! Bloglovin’ will take care of it for you, easy peasy. See my guide below for more info.

3. There’s an app for that. 

Prefer to read blogs on your mobile device? No problem – Bloglovin’ has you covered! Download the free app for access to your favorite blogs when you’re on the go.

4. Organize your blogs. 

I’ve divided up my blogs into a couple different categories: cookie blogs, baking blogs, general cooking blogs, home improvement blogs, funny blogs, etc. You can create your own categories, so the possibilities are endless!

5. If you’re a blogger – claim your blog easily AND get more pageviews!

You can claim your blog by adding in a verifying link to the top of a post. From there, customize your profile and more! PLUS, and this is a biggie, if a reader decides to read your entire post (rather than just an excerpt), they click over to your blog – resulting in additional pageviews!

Setting up an account with Bloglovin’ (detailed, step-by-step, no fail instructions!)

Go to www.bloglovin.com. Your screen will look like this:

Oh, look at that, a big, blue “join” button! Just what you were looking for. Click on it.

You can choose to set up an account with Facebook or by email. I chose email.

The next screen will look like this:

You will receive a verification email at the email address you provided. Click on the link in that email. I got my email immediately!

Now for the fun part! All of those blogs you follow with Google Reader? You can zap them over to Bloglovin’ with the touch of a button! Click on “Import from Google Reader.”

You will need to give Bloglovin’ permission to access your blogs and move them over from Google. Click “Accept” and you’re all done and ready to start reading your favorite blogs with Bloglovin’!

See? I told you it was easy! Now, go forth and start enjoying Bloglovin’!

Art to attend

Oh what a weekend! Tomorrow, June 1st is my husband's birthday. We are off to a Quilt Show in Watertown, MA. Yes, that is the city that the Boston Marathon Bombers fled to and where captured. So this morning I am checking out some of the sites for quilt show info and I came across this one Studio Art Quilt Associates, Art Quilt News which points out that there are some amazing things to do over the next few days and months.

So I am off to work this morning and FIUF this evening :) So looking forward to FIUF as I have not been in a while!

Ciao for now!
Take care ~ J

Working ... for a little while...

I think the hardest thing about being over 50 is finding a permanent job. I have come to the conclusion that I am 'Too old to hire, and too young to retire' and will be forever in temporary positions.

So that is where I am presently, working at another temporary position. Should I admit that I am not doing anything? I don't have access to any of the software that I need to be able to do any of the Account Payable or Account Receivables. I can't create any purchase orders, order supplies, or do anything! So, I bring my iPad and read... I really wish I could have my sewing machine here! I would be able to do so much!

I am working on a thank you gift of a pixelated version of Bob Marley from the album cover One Love.

It is a lot of 2.5" squares and half-square triangles... This is the mapping of the fabrics and placement of the squares and triangles...

So this is where I am up to as of last weekend...

So now all of the rows have 28 blocks sewed together... Now I am sewing the rows together and it is slow going... The disadvantages of having to work to support my quilting habit.

Thank you for joining me for a cup of coffee... Ciao for now!

J

Follow my blog with Bloglovin You know that Google is doing away with the Blogs... A major bummer, so I need to download all the old stuff and switch over to another Blog site. Come Follow my blog with Bloglovin so many other Blogs are there and it is easier to be on the same platform.

Ah yes, I have been gone for awhile... Since last seen, we have had another tragedy in my home city and state! I was not at the marathon finish as I had to work that day, but I did have to stay home due to the "stay in place" order that was given. Seems that I choose to live in a scary part of the state. So glad my parents where not here as they live within a mile and a half from the shoot out and the final capture.

In the mean time I have finished my temporary position at the manufacturing company (the Monday after the "stay in place" order was lifted) and I have been DESPERATELY looking for a permanent position.  Have you ever heard the saying "Too young to Retire, Too old to Hire"? That would be me... bummer by true.

So, as I started this posting out, I am moving to Bloglovin and I'd love for you to join me there!

Take care,

J

Life...

Life wasn't meant to be without mistakes. It wasn't made to be without change. Change happens every single day, every single minute. And there is no mistake except the failure to accept change.

I have been running around since before Christmas and my blog has suffered greatly. I spent Christmas with family in the Boston area. Two days later I was winging my way to Midland Texas to spend ten days in an Acute Care facility being an advocate for a dear friend. I came back and spent the next two weeks trying to catch up with work and home stuff. 

Then three little munchkins came to visit :) Grandkids :) As two of them are allergic to the cat, I was doing a very deep cleaning for over a week. The third one does not appear to be allergic, but time will tell. He does not want to crawl and is almost walking already at 9 months! 

The best part of the weekend was pulling out the Hello Kitty Sewing Machine to sit with my granddaughter to start to sew. The older grandson now wants to learn as well.

It is time to get ready for work, yes I am still at the temporary job, almost a year! Where has the time gone!

Thank you for stopping by!

Ciao for now

J :)

It seems that I have only been posting of late after a tragedy. That has been true, but once again there is a need.

With the tragedy in the Connecticut school that struck the hearts of so many across the world just a few days ago, leaves most of us with questions that may not ever be answered.  But if one of the questions you have is what can you do to help make a difference in the children who did physically survive this ordeal there is something that may seem simple but it could still be so touching to know they are being thought of as well.  And you can do this easily with your own children, it is making pillowcases!  :-)

I saw on Facebook yesterday that Becky, of Quilter's Corner  is trying to collect 600 new home-made pillow cases for the children who still attend Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut by the return of Christmas break.  

Quliter's Corner in New Milford, CT is collecting pillowcases for the children at Sandy Hook School. She is trying to collect around 600.  Please pass this message to any sewing friends. Pillowcases can be mailed to her at:  Quilters Corner, 312 Danbury Rd, New Milford, CT. 06776.  

Okay, I can make a few pillow cases. The best part is this video on how to make the tube pillow cases from when Missouri Quilt Co was helping to raise a Million Pillowcase Challenge.

Easy Tube Pillow Case Tutorial - Support the Million Pillowcase Challenge!
www.youtube.com http://missouriquiltco.com/ - 

This is the easiest, cutest, quickest pillowcase y

ou will ever make! 

So now, can you make a pillow case or two? I do hope you join me in this effort.

Ciao for now! :)

Take care, J

Superstorm Sandy Quits & Blanket Drive

I know that I have mentioned this Quilt and Blankets Drive a number of times on Facebook, but I have been among the missing here..

If you could help it would be great!

Because as if the devastation from Hurricane Sandy wasn’t enough, NY & NJ, which where the areas that where hit very hard are experiencing snow and really cold temps, the winter temps that had not been around. 

There are many people who are still homeless or have no power. 

While there are quite a few efforts in the works in the quilting community nationwide to gather quilts and blankets for these hard-hit areas, one of which is being spearheaded by Victoria Findlay Wolfe 

SUPER STORM SANDY

has devastated much of our area.

QUILTS AND BLANKETS are needed ASAP.

Homemade or Store Bought, ANY SIZE.

Acacia Network

Attn: Pete Gonzalez

311 East 175th Street

Bronx, NY 10457

Victoria is a friend of a friend, and that connection makes me trust that this is a valid effort to help. I have started to collect quilts and blankets to support this effort. 

I have been going through my closets and pulling from my quilt closet. Several people who saw my post on Facebook earlier have already contacted me. These quilts and blankets don’t have to be new (but please…in good condition and freshly washed!) and can be handmade or store-bought, all sizes are needed. If you are sending a quilt/blanket, please make a label with your name and email :)

When mailing them:

Please include your

name,

address

and email

and phone inside the box.

SHIP with Delivery confirmation.

Quilt Questions please contact:

Lane Falcon

at

lfalcon@acacianetwork.org

I know that I have been among the missing and we did not suffer as much as NY & NJ, but life has gotten busy and my blog has suffered. Thank you all who continue to check in and see if I am still here :)

Ciao for now! J

Yep, among the missing...

So last night was our first guild meeting of the new year. We have a Quilt Show on October 13 & 14, 2012 and this was the only meeting we will have before the show.

Of course, because I have not posted since August, I was asked last night if I had forgotten my blog... Nope, just a tad busy...

Since I last posted I have done some quilting, made a slew (about 90) of signature blocks, wrote a note to go with them, labeled them, and gone to the Post Office to mail them off. As they are going all over the world, it was necessary to seperate the different countries and get the correct postage for the different area's. I think I sent out close to 40 for different parts of the US, 24 to Canada, 24 to Australia, 2 to Malasia, and then other countries. It took a while to get them all made, signed, and on their way. This was a Facebook swap... so now I wait for people to receive their blocks. :)

I also went to "Quilter's Take Manhattan" last weekend. We left Boston on Saturday morning on the 6 am bus for NYC. We arrived in NYC around 10:30 am, we stopped for brunch, and I was off to my show and my husband went to catch the ferry to Long Island. We both had a great time and met up around 4:30 and went to the City Quilter to pick up some fabric that I can't get in Boston (all New York City themed fabric). Then it was off to an early dinner and off to catch the bus back to Boston. We got home around 12:30 pm. A quick and fun time :) Yes we would take the 'Go Bus' to and from NYC again. It leaves much closer to our house and early enough to make much more sense.

So now I have to make a sleeve for one of my quilts for the show, finish a jacket and start and complete my challenge quilt.

See Ms. G I did update my blog :) Thank you for the nudge!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Ciao for now!

J :)