A busy, busy week!

Suddenly my dance card was full!  I recuperated from my wonderful Thursday "Shop Hop"with Linda and Gillian and it only took two days.  Then I received  a Facebook message that made my day.  Cathie and Gail wanted to come for a visit on Wednesday night.....YEAH!!!!  I was thrilled!

So - now I need to make room to sit!!!  It's really not a joke!  Unfortunately I have yet to snag a much needed storage locker so the boxes are still strewn around the living room. Making room is no easy feat!  However, with a little ingenuity and some "elbow grease" I managed to make it work.  Cathie and Gail showed up with dinner from Mr. Greek and we had a wonderful visit.  We even managed to make room for Jonathan and his friend Frasier - yes they hung out with the "old ladies" for a short time!  Luckily they got fed up pretty quick and went into his room to watch the Leafs game.  I got to show off my progress on The Farmer's Wife and we just had a great catch-up evening! Can't wait until our next Stitch'n'Bitch (I missed the last one, wasn't feeling up to it)!  They managed to top up on some thread needs while they were here too!!!  I do not exaggerate when I say I have thousands of spools of thread here!!!

I have also managed to complete 6 more blocks -

 Block # 62 - Old Windmill (32 pieces)

Block #64 - Peace & Plenty (32 pieces)

Block # 66 - Periwinkle (12 pieces)

Block # 70 - Prairie Queen (25 pieces)

Block # 71 - Puss In The Corner (13 pieces)

These five blocks represented the "order" group.  I stitch up one group of 5 blocks in "numerical order" so that I am just stitching blocks and then I start working on the "row order" so that I am able to put the rows together.  The 6th block that I completed is the start of Row 8 - another row of 13 blocks of which I already have 8 completed.  I am just finishing the stitching of Row 7 to the quilt top now. 

Block # 81 - Snowball (13 pieces)

Now I will start adding the sashings and cornerstones to this block and stitching the completed blocks to make Row 8.  This is the second row of 3 rows of 13 blocks and then, because the quilt is on point, each row after that will be smaller by two blocks.  This marks the halfway point of the quilt top....I can't believe it!!!

My week did not end here!!!  I had another Facebook message that Linda was coming to visit with Bosley and Ainsley on Thursday!!!  I have not seen my "baby" Bosley since May 2011 when I did my first chemo.  Not only that, but Linda has been working in Ottawa for the past year and she was bringing me a present!!!  Egg rolls from the Golden Palace! Okay, I know, that sounds nuts - but you haven't tasted an egg roll if you haven't had one of theirs.  I salivate just thinking about these egg rolls.  A trip to Ottawa for Egg Rolls was on my bucket list!!!  The rest of their menu is also to die for but the egg rolls are by far the most outstanding item!  They sell them by the dozens - people come from all over to get them.  I remember as a kid, Saturday night was Golden Palace night and believe me the whole city was there - you always ran into someone you knew!!!

So, again I had to Bosley-fy the house - he still likes to gnaw on the odd sock!  I managed to get quite a bit of organizing done before Cathie and Gail came but I still needed to do a bit more for the Bosley visit.  I actually managed to clean off my desk (been a mess for six months) and organize the computer area.  If only I had a storage locker!!!!  One of these days!

They arrived around 2:00 P.M. and it was glorious!  There is nothing like a great big fat kiss from a chocolate Lab!!!  It'll cure everything!!!  It was great hugging Linda and Ainsley too!  I adore this dog!  I gave him up for all the right reasons and I happily gave him to a family who would love him as much as I do.  Matt, Linda, Morgan and Ainsley have given him a wonderful home and since I get visiting privileges I couldn't ask for anything more.

Jonathan and I just couldn't give him the exercise and attention that he needed.  He gets plenty now!!!  Of course I took a few pics while they were here!

 Finding his spot on the couch (his couch I might add)

 A rare face pic!  He does not pose for pictures - always on the go!

 Ainsley holding him just long enough to see that gorgeous mug!

 This is the norm - he wiggles into you on the couch so you can rub his belly....Linda is quietly raiding the thread baskets in the background.....

 Never sits still- pushing into Ainsley for a good rub.

He is just a big galoot with such a wonderful personality and just look at the love from his Mom (Linda) and sister (Ainsley) - I so miss having that around....

It was a wonderful visit, unfortunately Jonathan was working and didn't get a chance to see him but Bosley kept running back to Jonathan's bedroom to look for him and next time we'll schedule it on one of Jonathan's days off.  Of course, all good things come to an end and so the visit was over but not before I got some much needed hugs and some really great slobbery kisses.

Needless to say I had a good dose of Egg Rolls after they left and I even treated Liz to one so she can tell you how good they are!!!!  She was surprised I would share this delicacy but there isn't anyone I would rather share with!!!  She dropped by after her guild meeting with a Peppermint Hot Chocolate from Tim's and we ate our egg rolls and chatted for a bit - she's just back from Calgary visiting Brian (her son) and Sarah (his girlfriend).

Yesterday I spent the day cooking!  First there were the sweet and sour meatballs for the potluck at our guild meeting on Monday night.  Then I threw together a Shepherd's Pie and then Jonathan made steaks and baked potatoes for dinner.  

Today I am content to sit inside and watch the snow fall and worry about my son driving around out there boosting batteries.  He called a little while ago and says it's pretty bad out there, he can't do over 20 km/hr or he starts to fishtail.  So - I suggest you all get done what has to be done and get home.....

My plan is to possibly clear off that dining room table, set up my sewing machine and get some stitching done....we'll see if I can manage that....

Have a great day everyone! (I know this was a long one.....)

Jo-Ann

DAY 4 - Finally some work done.....

So the quasi-office is all set up and ready to go.......

....and work has begun!  Started on the first box this evening.  Of course I haven't been able to hook up the internet yet and the printer won't work, but that's more work for another day.  I have to figure out how to fool the computer into doing what I want it to do.....should be fun!  In the meantime I have a lot to do paper wise before I worry about the other stuff.

I also got 5 loads of laundry done - ugh!  I know there's more but for now I am ignoring it!
Maybe I will do some more next week (Monday or Tuesday)!  

I used to quilt but I can't seem to get back to that right now.  The machines are still set up and my Farmer's Wife is accessible but the seem to be under all the other stuff I have to do.....I need to start thinking about what I will take with me on Wednesday for chemo day!  I think I have a quilt I can throw a binding on so that will give me something to do.  

I may run over to the library and see if I can find a decent book to read as well.  Need to keep busy.....it's a really long day.  Luckily I have a fabulous support network and Liz will be coming with me (After the last time I learned, I can't go alone).

That's it for me tonight - I'm actually planning on going to bed - oh wait, I have to make the bed first!!!!  (bedding got washed too!)

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann

Day 3 - Little by Little.....

Had to take one of my "knock out" pills last night to bypass the pain so today was what I would call a dozy day.....

Got the desk cleared off, got everything I wanted on the "old" computer downloaded onto the key and that's about all.  I did go through a load of papers and get rid of a lot of junk so at least that's done.

I am still thinking about doing some more but it would probably serve me better to head for bed and do it tomorrow.  I'm finding it very weird not to need to go anywhere or do anything (well that's not completely true - I do have a lot to do) but you know what I mean - not be on a set schedule.....

The one thing and really the most important thing I need to get done tomorrow is laundry! Even if I wanted to go somewhere I have nothing to wear!!!!  So that has become a priority.

Taking it slow and steady - one day at a time.  I guess that's the way it has to be, but, I really want to get a shot at those boxes - there's about 20 in my living room (warehouse) right now and I really have to get them sorted.  I am going to break down and get a storage locker early next week so some of this stuff can be moved out of here.  Just keep what I need to do what I have to do.  At the moment it's a bit overwhelming but hopefully that will change once I get it moving....

I do dream about the day when my only project on the agenda has to do with quilting!!!!

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann

Day 2 - Where do I begin?

So, the clean-up begins!  I need to make room on the desk to transfer all the files from the old computer (seen behind the laptop) to the one of the other two computers brought from the store.  This is definitely taking way too long for my liking but unfortunately I am again held back by my physical limitations.  Today was one of my more painful days, mostly abdominal, and when I am like that - sleep is the only remedy.  So I managed to sleep quite a bit today but now I am wide awake (still some pain) so I have begun.....

The laptop, which gets internet, sits in front of the PC

which is older than dirt but still works.

The important info will be transferred to a newer

version of dirt.....

There were two more stacks of papers off to the side which I dealt with earlier today.  So far that is about all I have done.  Once it's all cleared and the printer has been moved I can get down to the "nitty gritty" of copying all the info.

I thought I would bring you up to date on the Farmer's Wife.  This was the last photo taken on the design wall at the store the night before the doors were locked!  I have to say I am extremely pleased to have this back - 16 blocks......done.....

This is the right hand top of the Farmer's Wife

Almost lost in the store "lockout"!

I think I may have given up making this quilt if I had lost all those blocks!  I now have more than half of the 111 blocks done - 57 to be precise!  Here are the latest completed and they are for the next row over.....

 Block #63 - Ozark Maple Leaf

 Block #39 - Friendship

Block #102 - Whirlpool

The next row is already together and I will add it to the 16 blocks and then figure out how to take a photo or where to take a photo.....

So off I go to do some more organizing!  Wait until you see what my little "warehouse" really looks like - Jonathan is truly not impressed, but in all honesty, it's true payback for the mess that I lived in because of him for many years.

Have a great day!

Jo-Ann

DAY 1 - A.C. (after Cock A Doodle!)

Today is officially Day 1!  I figure since I would have been off on Sunday and then Monday for the holiday today is really Day 1 - right!

Am I sad - a little, but I know that this was the right thing for me to do.  I really have to get my health on the first priority list or Cock A Doodle will not be the only thing that closes.  Having done pretty much nothing except sleep since Saturday night I can safely say that the last two weeks has taken a toll on me.

(Took a bit of a break just now - went out for a quick coffee with Liz)

The great part of the "big sleep" is that I can actually walk with very little pain and no cane.  It appears I needed rest and after two weeks of constant movement and not feeling up to par - this is great!  I was actually able to go out with Liz for a quick coffee tonight and really enjoyed the novelty of it.  I don't remember the last time I was able to do that - a late evening trip to the coffee shop.

I have done a little work on my Farmer's Wife over the last couple of days which I will figure out how to photograph (I do miss that amazing design wall!).  The house currently looks like a warehouse "Cock A Doodle Quilts West".  I have enough thread to supply about 3,000 quilters and still not use it all!  There are baskets of it!  Of course, there are boxes filled with masses of paperwork which as of tomorrow I really have to get at!!!!  Gotta get the books in order finally and put all that behind me.  Not sure how long that will take but I have a week until I'm back in chemo and will be under the schedule of "how I feel" day to day.

I am looking forward to the time when that is all behind me - the chemo as well as the paperwork because I really have to unpack all the projects and get them sorted and into priority order so I can get some quilting done.  I will certainly be trying to get some quilting done each day as well.

Today I managed to complete a good portion of my kitchen - Gillian made me take quite a lot of stuff I had no intention of taking so I had to find places for everything.  I did manage to snag and fit in one of those great white cupboards I had in the kitchen at the store thanks to Cathie and Daniel (and Jonathan) and Gail helped too......

Okay - I'm off to have a quick snack before bed and then back to the prone position.

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann 

A day in the life.......

At 6:00 P.M yesterday I put the sign on the door that we are closed until Tuesday and started packing up to leave.  Rich came by with sandwiches (dinner) from California Sandwich (FYI - not as good as usual, their buns are different I think!) so we ate them, sans buns pretty much and then off!  

I arrived home around 7:30 P.M., unloaded the car (Amish With A Twist - amongst other things) after a stop at the drugstore to refill my prescriptions.  Jonathan went out for the evening and I settled in for some "me" time.  Actually, all I did was watch TV and ended up falling asleep half way through my shows.....what else is new?!?!  Thursday night usually consists of Grey's Anatomy and Motive on CTV and then Person of Interest and Scandal on CITY.  They keep changing everything so you never know.....

The first opening of the eyes was at 6:20 A.M. and I thought I might make coffee and start my day but after about 15 minutes I decided it would be better to go back to bed......I awoke again at 10:30 A.M. and decided to start my day.

First things first, coffee!  While waiting for coffee I decided to get re-acquainted with "Sergio".  It's been awhile since he's been in service.  Before the coffee was ready I managed to get quite a bit done but then he decided, after my first cup of coffee to throw a wrench in the works.....

Now, when I say it's been awhile since Sergio and I worked together - I mean like two years!  Somehow #3 needle had come unthreaded.  I am stubborn - so for the next 20 minutes I sat and figured out what the problem was and EUREKA!  I actually managed to fix him myself (Usually I just haul him off to the store and call Zack).  I was determined and it actually worked!

We are now on a roll!  As you can see, the piles are all organized and the BIG pile at the back of the picture are done.....YEAH!

 There are 6 piles - the front pile has one side done and

I'm working on the second side - The top pile behind has 2 sides done

ready to start side 3 - pile underneath to the right 1 side done - to the 

left, no sides done - at the back DONE (that's the big pile) and to the left

of the big pile are the scraps I want to use for one of the borders

However, as you can see by the next two pics, which don't really need captions, I have a "bit" of laundry to do....  Okay, I hate laundry!!!!  Well, seriously, it's not that I hate laundry, it's really that I hate the laundry room!  It is the one thing that I truly miss about the house and the townhouse!  Whenever I wanted to I could just throw a load in and be doing 10 other things around the house.  Here, I have to plan a "trip" to the laundry room, hope that there are machines available, and then I usually hang out while the wash is being done and then once it goes in the dryer I come upstairs for an hour and set the timer on the stove.  But for me - this is an ordeal!  I realize it's a personal phobia but I have it and I hate it!

There is just no way around it - unless I go out and buy new clothes every week this has to be done....  I really did try to set a routine with this but I know that this phobia I have constantly gets the better of me, so I go through every piece of clothing I have before I venture downstairs to the dreaded laundry room.  See - I am even ranting now in order to avoid the inevitable......Okay, okay - I am packing it up and I am going!  Wish me luck!  It is now 12:55 P.M.....I'd rather be anywhere else!

To be continued.........

It's now 11:04 P.M. and I just came up from the laundry room!  I know, I know!  Yes I procrastinated - I took a nap, then I made dinner, then I took a nap and by the time I went down to put in the first load it was 8:00 P.M. plus I did a load for Jonathan so it totaled 5 loads of laundry in the end!....and for the umpteenth time I vowed never to leave it that long again!  We'll see!  

There is an upside to this story!  Had I not gone down to do the laundry I would not have known that it will be closed tomorrow all day for plumbing repairs.  On top of that there are two lines of kitchens in the building that will not have water.  Not sure if we're one of them because we live on the first floor and the numbers are different above us.  I could go up and check but honestly, as long as I can get water for coffee in the morning I'll live through it....

Looks like I'll be up for awhile after all that afternoon napping so I'm going to go see what kind of trouble I can get into by the sewing area......

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann

Back at it again!

I actually got back in the groove on Sunday and got back to doing some quilting!  I was up rather early having fallen into bed at 7:30 P.M. Saturday night, so at 5:30 A.M. there I was with a cup of coffee in hand and my Urban Pods calling me......

Last night after giving the machine a good cleaning (you can see the tutorial on the Cock-A-Doodle blog www.cockadoodlequilts.blogspot.com) I continued with section 3 of 6 which you can see sittion on Sonia's table.

 On the other side of the table is the cutting station, right next to Bernie and across from Sergio.....and there's my trusty Quick Curve Ruler.

 Below is one of two segments completed for the Urban Pods pattern.  Tonight I hope to get it put together into one piece and ready to be layered - I even have the back all planned out and it uses up any extra fabric I may have left over along with a lovely light gray Kona I just got into the store.  I'm excited about this quilt and I even know I want to quilt it....very much like the original done by the designer Jenny Pedigo.  Will it be ready by Saturday - well maybe if I stay up all night tonight and don't go in tomorrow so NO! but you may get to see the top done at any rate....I certainly hope so, I've been looking forward to finishing it.

Of course, I could have had alot more completed last night but I got side tracked - ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder).  It's just that with everything else going on - the move, etc. - my house looks like a bomb hit it and let's face it, Jonathan has never been much for keeping things clean, so while he was out in the early evening I tackled the 4 x 4 foot coffee table which was "drop junk central"  which took about 1-1/2 hours to clear up.

My kitchen, well I won't go into detail, but we had pretty much run out of dishes and cutlery!  I decided on War Tactics for that problem - this morning I loaded everything into Metro bags - put them into the car - took them to the store - and ran the dishwasher!!!!

I was desperate and really didn't want to be soaking and washing dishes, etc. for days so this was truly the easiest solution!  Needless to say it turned out to be more than one load of dishes!  But it gives me a leg up and if I can now keep on top of things in the kitchen at home I will have a shot at a clean house!

So tonight, I will haul it all back home and before I put it away, clean the countertops, stovetop, refrigerator and floors and then put everything where it belongs and start fresh!  Of course, as I said earlier, I also want to work on Urban Pods - so I guess I will be up all night!!!! 

At any rate - I really need to get those patterns sorted and hung today so I am off to organize!

Have a great day everyone!!!

Jo-Ann

Shifting.....

It's that scary thing you do when you are trying to organize!  Yesterday when Rita was my legs and I was sorting all the "stuff" for Gillian to take to her church rummage sale and to drop at Value Village I had this horrible thought that I was just shifting the "stuff" from one spot to another.

I've set my mind at ease now because I know that anything that moved from the back to the front actually has to be at the front, whether there's room for it, well that's a whole other story.  There's still alot to do but it appears to be slowly moving in the right direction.

On Friday afternoon, after everything had been moved from the old "Doodle" to the new "Doodle" I sat in the chair by the books and picked up the phone to call my mom!!!!  I realized it had been just over two years since she passed away and I also realized how much I miss her!  I had a moment - she would have been so excited for me!  Needless to say I had a long conversation with her - and it's not long distance, and it sure helps!

My mom used to have a saying "Oh, my achin' back!"  It was something she used when she was overwhelmed or something crazy was happening.  When I said it yesterday - I meant it - my back really is aching!  Along with every other inch of my body!  The reward is that it will all be worth it in the end!!!!

I'm off to the store again to continue the "madness" and ruthlessly go through every single thing.  It's like that program "Hoarders" - it's almost laughable!!!!  But seriously - I am so limited for space that I have to really be ruthless!!!!

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann 

I can't.....

I can't quilt!  I really, really want to but I just can't!  I look longingly over to the dining room table at Sonia (my Janome), at Bernice - Bernie for short (my Bernina) and at Sergio (my Janome serger) but I know I just can't do it!!!!

I am so exhausted from moving the store that I just know if I touch anything I will mess it up!  There will be plenty of time to quilt soon enough!!!!

Better I should take a long hot shower and go to bed!!!  Good night all!!!

Have a great day everyone.

Jo-Ann

Sew she grows!

The newsletter is out, classes are filling up and I still find myself short about 10 hours a day.  I had two days off this past weekend and did NOTHING!  I mean nothing!  I've been told that it was probably what I needed but still I felt guilty...with so much to do and so many projects on the go,  I really felt like I should have done something, anything, to keep up with myself.

I guess I gauge my output by my quilting which is probably not fair.  However, truth be told Rich and I managed to get quite a load of stuff out of the storage unit over the past week.  We want to give up the space and so now the boxes from the basement (from the townhouse and the last move) are finally being dealt with.  It's amazing what I've found, and to think all the stuff that was left behind.

Tuesday I worked at the store and came home to work on more boxes but I also managed to work on Lithia Park - there are 12 blocks sewn together with sashings!  It's slowly growing and since tomorrow night is "Don't bring your machine a.k.a. Applique Club" at the store I will be able to work on the last 2-1/2 blocks for the centre.  Here's what it looks like so far.....

 Lithia Park - 12 blocks and growing.....

It's  funny how when I work all day I can come home and just keep going but when I'm home for the day - I get nothing done!  At any rate I had to progress on this project in order to make room for my next project which is my 9 Patch Exchange blocks.

When I had my sewing room in the house this would not have been an issue as I just would have relocated the Lithia Park project but in the apartment I have limited space available so I really have to be more organized.  Don't get me wrong, my quilting is spread out throughout the apartment but because I share the living/dining room with Jonathan, I have to make sure I don't leave things lying around where they can be misplaced or moved.  A little frustrating but it works because I seem to move forward on projects faster.

So, I chose some fabrics for my first 4 blocks for the exchange.

 Fabrics for April (yes I'm behind) and May blocks.....

This gave me the opportunity to try out a few new products we have in the store.  When it was suggested that we host the 9 Patch Exchange, I was alerted to some great products that would insure accuracy in piecing these blocks.  So - I will try to take you through the process step by step here.

 First, a product called Cutting Edge....plastic strips that mark the underside of the ruler.

 The blocks are 3-1/2" blocks so I needed to mark the 1-1/2" on the rulers underside.

First I straighten the fabric....

 Then I butt the straightened edge along the plastic strips marked at 1-1/2" - and cut my strips.

 Fabric one, then fabric two.....

 Check out the markings, perfect 1-1/2" strips.....now we move to the sewing machine.

 The next product is called sewing edge!  (You can use a few layers of painters tape here instead)

 I take my 3-1/2" ruler and with my needle measure the 1/4" on my machine - then adhere a strip of the sewing edge tape which is about a 1/16" of an inch thick.

 You can cut these tapes but I chose to mark the machine and the table giving me a longer edge.  Then I stitched my first strip.

 Check the perfect 1/4" seam - I was thrilled!  So far, so good!

 The blocks worked out to exactly 3-1/2" - Voila - precision piecing!  To see my pinning method - look up Molly's Meadow on this blog - I give a demo there.

...and my second set of perfect 3-1/2" blocks!

I'm going to try posting this to the Cock A Doodle Quilt blog as a Tutorial Page shortly so you can refer back to it.  Hopefully I will be able to do it - I'm so not a techie!  FYI - you can use painters tape to do either of these things but I have to say I love the ease of these two products and they are both reusable and very accurate.....  

I've also been pretty busy designing quilts - a new mystery quilt for August and a Charm Square quilt as well as a quilt to use up my 9 Patch Exchange blocks.

Okay time for bed - a little reading, then some much needed sleep!

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann  

...

Finally!!!!

I realize that having just moved on January 4th, I wasn't expected to be completely organized and ready to tackle quilting projects right away.  That was a given conclusion, but, I have so missed being able to come home and "play" with Sonia or Bernie over the past few weeks.

Friday morning before work I finally set Sonia up on the dining room table so that I could get a much needed binding done for an upcoming store feature.  I can't tell you how wonderful it was to get back to my machine!

Jonathan snuck the camera out last night and snapped a rare picture of me.  I was so content sitting in that chair sewing on that binding that I didn't even notice right away what he was doing and if the flash had not gone off I probably would have never known!

We are still busy organizing and finding places for things around the house but all in all most things have found their home and the chaos is dissapating (I won't show you my closet yet!)....

Tonight my plan is to work on both the binding plus a quilt I have been trying to get quilted for a long while.  It's nice to get back into my groove.....while at the same time trying to keep up with things that have to get done at the store!  Of course it is all related in some way!

Hope you are having a great day!

Jo-Ann

Chaos continued!!!!

It's been a busy few days - Thursday I worked and then went back to the Townhouse to finish cleaning up and getting the rest of the "little" things.  Finished up there around midnight and went home to collapse, had to unpack a few bags to get in the door.  I'm so happy to see the last of all those stairs!!!! 

Yesterday I had the morning to unpack and made a bit of headway then I was off to the store to get some work done there.  It's a juggling act but now that I've got the energy to get things done I feel pretty confident that I can start making things happen.  Came home last night and on the way stopped to pick up a nice salad at Metro - it's less than a block from the new place!  had a lovely dinner and then worked on some stuff for the store.

I've been getting up early the last few days, it's a nice change and I feel like I'm sleeping much better too!  What a fabulous change for me!  So this morning I was able to do a little more unpacking before I left for the store.  The "Healing Heroes" gals were in today and getting loads of stuff done.  I was busy doing a bit of inventory work.

I had a wonderful surprise this afternoon when Barb dropped by with some cool stuff.  She's been doing some organizing at home too and brought loads of fabric for Healing Heroes as well as some cool stuff for me to go through.....

Then Fiona dropped by with the most wonderful gift - a quilted portrait of Gizmo!  I asked her a few months ago if she wouldn't mind doing one and got the photos to her a few weeks ago - she did an amazing (actually 2 amazing) quilts).  When Rich had to have Gizmo put to sleep a few months ago it was devastating for all of us so hopefully he will enjoy the larger of the two quilts.  The Bonus here is - Fiona has agreed to run a class on portraits from photos.....cool huh!!!  She really captured Gizmo's personality in both of the quilts....

 They are both fabulous!

I'm thrilled with both of them (don't recognize the woman in the photo - oops it's me!  The hair threw me off!

Tonight was great - I got alot done and can finally almost see the dining room!!!  I'm getting there, one room at a time.  I'd better get myself to bed....

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann

Happy Chaos!!

I couldn't be happier!  Richard, my son Jonathan and his two friends Ian and Dana moved 99% of the Townhouse yesterday to the apartment and I am thrilled because everything FITS!!!!  Well, there was an extra bed, an extra sofa and the TV cabinet didn't come either but those were planned, everything else fit exactly where I thought it would!!!!

 We ate standing up last night to make room for all the "grocery" bags being used to transport stuff, but once those bags are out of the way, everything fits in my dining room.....

 The living room is big enough to accomodate everything that was in the townhouse and the wing chair that was up in the guest bedroom at the townhouse....

 ..from another angle it also accomdates my large antique cabinet now being used to have the TV on as well as my pine desk and the pine storage unit that was in the den/office at the house!

 The kitchen counters have become makeshift storage while we moved the "big" stuff it all came out of....and my stove is now computerized with a built in monitor - NOT - wouldn't that be cool!!!!  Make Spaghetti and Meatballs and it's done by the computer/stove......

 No surface area was spared until I get it all in place....

 Even the floor is covered in the kitchen, but it all has it's place which it will soon find.....

 My red bookcase from the office/den fits perfectly in the front hall, in front of the door - makes me feel scholarly (and we don't actually use the front door to go in and out - we use the patio door!).

 Jonathan's room - still nothing done but in all honesty this picture was taken before they came back to build the bed at 10:30 P.M. when they finished with everything......

 Looking from the other side to the kitchen, my red bookcase......

 My bedroom - has all the furniture in place and I couldn't believe it but I even got the sea chest in which for me was a major bonus!

 By taking the sliding closet doors off, I was able to fit my second dresser into the alcove and the wing chair and hassock leave plenty of walking room.......Hopefully at some point in the near future there will be a curtain up to hide the "stash".....but Rich says he likes it that I have to wake up and look at all my unfinished stuff, maybe I won't start anything new!!!!  Uh-huh!

...and my dresser fits in great along with the little bookshelf for my craft/quilt books that was in the guest bedroom at the townhouse....the little greenmarks are the painters' tape marking the drawers and where they go!

I still have to go back to the townhouse tonight after work to clean and gather up all the little odds and ends the "boys" didn't take with them and there are still a few....I think mostly breakables which have to be packed up and transported carefully!  So that's where I'm off to now but I am SOOOOOO excited to be in the new place, I can't express how happy I am!

Off to clean - have a great day everyone!!!!

Jo-Ann

P.S.  I'm really hoping to be saying Off to Quilt in a few days!