2010 Recap

Even though I wasn't working two jobs, like I did last year, the first half of the year kept me very busy at work, to a point where my mother was helping me with lunches and cleaning.  In the summer, we hosted a Japanese student. Then things slowed down and I was able to finish some quilts. I also reviewed several books for some companies who were willing to send me complimentary copies of their books in exchange for the review. I also did a great deal of genealogy research.

This year I decided to show not just the finishes, but quilty things I have worked on. It makes the recap look better because there is more stuff on it, and it also gives you a better idea of what I have been doing in 2010. Here they are, in no particular order.

The snowflake coasters were my latest little project. I am keeping these for myself. I also turned a couple into ornaments for the tree.

I made these tissue holders as holiday gifts.

This vase was a project that was abandoned before this year, but finished in October 2010.

Four of five quilts I made for the Quilts for Kids charity. The fifth one looked like the red black and white one, with panda bears on it, and was done in 2009. This charity took a great deal of my time in 2010, but apparently I did have enough time to have other finishes as well.

This is the very first oil painting I made. I really enjoyed having the opportunity to paint with my family. I have it sitting on the book, so you can see the inspiration on the right. The color of the water was actually mostly from the turpentine that we were using to clean our brushes.

The pirate map is an unfinished project for 2010. Our Japanese guest helped with some of the motifs.


The little flag wall hanging was started and finished in 2010. It was simple to make, but I am particularly proud of it because of the quote quilted on it.



This is a sample block I made for a big idea I had. The idea will work, once I get started on it. I tried to finish this block into a project, but it didn't work well. I am hoping that like the vase, I will manage to finish it at a later date.



Since joining Kathleen Tracy's small quilt yahoo group, I have been tempted many times with these little quilts. They are really fun to make. In this one, I limited myself to one small scrap box, to give myself the challenge that people in olden days would have had.  I particularly liked using scraps for this one, and remembering where each one came from.

The African Circles quilt was my first project I started and finished in 2010. It was my goal to finish everything I started this year. It hasn't completely come true, but I have made great strides. And I gave myself permission to simply play - like with the red and white kaleidoscope block and the blue and white blocks below. They were never part of a project, and a great start to an orphan block quilt.

One of these blocks started out as a beginning of Kate's round robin. I still want to do the round robin, but the block, and the additional ones I made are now part of the orphan block collection. I will probably make a small quilt out of these.  I think it is amazing at how the same basic shape can look so completely different based on how it is put together.

The Cheddar Cheese and Crackers was started early in the year, and is a work in progress. It is a pattern by Lori from Humble Quilts. It is being hand quilted. The cheddar fabric isn't playing nicely and isn't laying flat, so it has me worried, but hopefully I will be able to quilt it into submission. It has taught me that I am not capable of hand quilting a big project though!

This is my last finish for 2010. I like this one the best of all the quilts I worked on this year.

The Simply Squares quilt was an impulse quilt made from newly purchased fabric. The top is made.  I was going to try to finish this one for 2010 as well, but I think my quilts look quite impressive for the year, so I won't stress myself out trying to finish it this year.

Quilters Galore

My plot to turn everyone around me into a quilter is working!  Here's a charm quilt that my niece made for me.  She didn't know what to call it at first, but the name fits perfectly. It is quite charming.

Remember the last quilt I started? With our first student, I tried to keep her constantly busy, but that wore me out, and probably wore her out as well.  With our second student, I learned that it is probably best to leave the evenings free and flexible.  The day before yesterday, we were watching television, and she was looking bored, so I brought out my treasure map quilt.  I got the idea from the Whip Up book.  I asked her if she wanted to add something to the quilt, and she said yes.  She made the skull.  My daughter didn't want anything to do with it.  I asked IU if she wanted to make anything else, making sure she understood she didn't have to.  She decided to make something even more elaborate and intricate.  Isn't it fantastic?

Horoscope

Gratuitous fireworks shot

Do you read your horoscope?  I don't follow it regularly, but if I manage to get one placed in front of me, then I will read mine.  We have some people in the office who are from another office in another state, and since they get a newspaper everyday from the hotel, they bring it into the office.  One day last week, one happened to be on the table and I decided to sit by the newspaper to have lunch.  It was very appropriate.

It said something to the effect that I was very busy, but if I made a list, and just did the things on it, I would manage to get through it all.  Now I know this horoscope would be appropriate for 99% of the people in the world, but it was directed at me, and it did provide me with some comfort.  And I am keeping that comfort that I will be able to manage it all. Even though it was one day last week's horoscope.

I have been asked to do extra work, at work, and it is my rule that I never turn down legitimate paying enjoyable work.   It is hard to do this extra work, since I was expecting work to slow down, and make a smooth transition between working and not working. But instead I am working overtime.  Hopefully this means that when I am not working, I will be able to keep up the momentum, and get some real spring cleaning done. The house has been calling loudly, and the list of things I want to do at home keeps getting longer.  And the deadlines are creeping up.  People are going to be coming to my house soon from Japan.

I needed to do something to relieve the stress of things I need to do that aren't getting done, so I started another quilt.  LOL.  It was supposed to be a small, quick-finish quilt, but you know me.  It always takes longer and becomes more complicated as I think about it.  I do need to keep working on it though, so it doesn't feel like another thing on the list of things to do.