The FNSI

Yes, I signed up for this.  Yes, I actually did some stitching.  I just didn't feel like I stitched enough.  My hairdresser asked if I could come in after work Friday instead of Saturday afternoon so I didn't get home until 8ish.  I took a bit of time to setting down and finally sat down to "sew" on the dresden quilt.  It's been my TV watching stitching lately.  I am 90% done with the hand quilting - I only have like 3 more panels to go and I can bind it.  But I was so pooped from the week I was only able to quilt one stinking panel for the Friday Night Sew In.  So I didn't blog it yesterday because Heidi gives away such great prizes, I would have felt too guilty if I had been fortunate to win something from her giveaway.  But next month, lookout! I'll be all over the FNSI.

Friday Night Sew In



Last night I played around with something I've had awhile.  Miss Nadine over Apron Valley Road sent it to me in the Aunt Pitty Pat Sewing Accessories Swap.  It's called the Lil' Twister.  I participated in another Swap, The Charming Christmas Fabric Swap and received all these wonder charms (5x5) Christmas fabrics.  Angela over at Summerfiled Quilts put on a great swap!.  So I went to work putting the pieces together last night and taking the Lil' Twister to them.  They are gonna be so dang adorable if I do say so myself.  Just two more panels to go and I'll have 3 very fun little table mats.

'Tis the Season!

Happy Friday everyone! A little update here. Some of you may know I have Bruxism (teeth grinder). I've had it for as long as I can remember. The last 4 years I've been seeing an Oralfacial Pain Management specialist. I've googled this guy I don't know how many times making sure he's not a "quake". He is everywhere in published books, papers, medical journals - both in the US and abroad. I've had some good things from my treatment. He was able to finally make the piercing ear pain go away, I've been able to get through regular dentists appoints to fix some bad teeth I'd neglected because my jaw was miserable. He'd told me when I first went to see him(long story but all dentist and other docs before him wanted to do surgery immediately) that he wanted to avoid surgery at all costs.

So here I am 4 years later without surgery and I've had some successes. Now about a month ago or two ago, he replaced my night guard with one for the upper teeth to try to pull my bottom jaw forward to stop some of "popping" of the disk in my jaw. Since then I've had nothing but pain and inflammation. He's done steroid shots into the jaw and I've taken two rounds of prednisone to get it under control. I saw him yesterday because now the jaw "grinds" in it's joint. I don't think it would be so bad except I can HEAR it. The sounds just reverberates through my head.

So he wants to get new xrays (last ones done in 2008) and see how much the jaw is deteriorated. He said that now that the steroids have reduced the inflammation there is nothing "cushioning" the joint and that is why it's grinding - I almost want the inflammation back..Ha! Anyway, he provided me with some pain meds, muscle relaxers, etc yesterday to keep me comfortable until the insurance approves the CT of the joint. This doctor has seen on his off days before and even offered to see him today and Monday if need be - the university is closed even. I have his cell and email numbers and have always been encouraged to call if it gets out of hand. I really appreciate that. So I today it feels much better - but that could be because of the muscle relaxers...or it could because the muscle relaxers let me sleep last night. Either way it's better today.

The moral of this story is simply about wanting Soft Food recipes. Soups, mashes, blender - you name if you have something you enjoy - please either post or email me the recipe.

Ok enough about me. I got a happy package in the mail yesterday from my swap partner for Aunt Pitty Pats Christmas Stocking Swap - Donna! It's just awesome. Here are pictures of the wonderful things she sent me. Today is my deadline to mail and I"ll send to her at lunch today - it's all packed up and ready.


Love this sewing ornament!! So cute.
She packed that stocking full! Love it

Thank you so much Donna and I hope you enjoy your package as much as I enjoyed yours.

From mistakes come challenges

When making the dresden plate quilt, I decided I needed to add additional plates. So I ordered more charm packs, and went to work. However, I couldn't find the paper template I'd used before on the previous dresdens. I ended up buying the plastic template. Measured it as best my pea brain could again the already made plates and went to work sewing them up. Well, we all know this doesn't end well. They were not the same angle/radius so they did not match the older ones. Here I was left with 2 odd ball dresden plates. What to do what to do. So I wiped up these little candlemat/mug rugs - depending on the application you see - multi-taskers. Then this week's surprise in the mail was this awesome mug rug from Regena over at The Distracted Domestic Diva! Thank you - you are such a wonderful lady and I'm so glad you're my close friend. One evening I tried my hand at these microwave homemade caramels. super easy - took longer to wrap them all than to make them. I sea salted some and pecanned the others. (is pecan-ned a word?) Recipe here Here's a sneak peak at something for an upcoming swap...I'd say which one, but that might give it away to my partner. Just a little over a week - are you ready for Christmas?

something to ponder

I read this quote today and it made me think...maybe it will get you to think too.. “One of the consequences of such notions as "entitlements" is that people who have contributed nothing to society feel that society owes them something, apparently just for being nice enough to grace us with their presence.” by Thomas Sowell.

Arrrrggghhhh!

Hello everyone! sorry for my bloggy absence. I've opened up blogger many times to post and just got busy. I must make a not to myself that next year during this time to prepare several timed posts to happen so I don't loose everyone. Here are some of the things I've been working on. I'm hand quilting the dresden quilt. Some table runners... Some aprons for a friend of mine... Pinwheels from the Charming Christmas Swap to be made into some mug rugs at some point... a stitched reindeer to be made into something... Not sure you remember Rudy the reindeer - but I unpacked him when I was decorating for Christmas and put in by the fireplace...then this is what I found...two very guilty dachshunds...

Collateral damage

From trying to stitch after a long week at work and up too late.

Something Something

It's been a bit stressful at work this week (staff reductions). So I haven't been very outwardly energetic. But I do have a few updates. I was able to spend some time in the garden Saturday morning and found the pepper plants has burst forth another gallon of jalapenos. So instead of jalapeno relish that I'd already canned, I made jelly. I hope everyone likes a little spice in their Christmas this year!
On Sunday, the hubs and I and his friend Austin went out shooting sporting clays at the gun club. Here's our stroller for the guns..yes for the guns..hahaha what will they think of next?
The hubs has been out of town this week so I was able to watch a movie I'd been wanting to see - "Water for Elephants" - well let's just say the book was better. I stitch when I watch TV - here's a little ornie I'm making.