About Me

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I am a 40 something female who has a great love for crafts...any crafts. I love quilting, I collect fabrics, books and patterns. I enjoy traditional patterns in bright colors. My favorite fabrics are batiks and brights. Because I am a great collector...I now have a stash that is out of control. My goal for the upcoming year is to reduce my stash. I won't stop collecting so I need to become more productive.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Paducah Aftermath

Went to Paducah this year armed with a list! Yes, a list.

Usually I am a person that doesn't have a shopping plan unless it is for food or things I need for my house. I just go and let whatever guide me.

Well, not this year....Paducah had a list and limits were set.

I got the threads I wanted and the fabric I wanted.

A friend is having a baby so...a quilt is planned. Found the perfect border fabric...yipee. Now to decide on the pattern...hmmm. Didn't find one that I liked.
I also found fabric I needed for a wallhanging in the works.

I went to Hancock's of Paducah and spent....$71....that is it! WEll...not the total for the trip but that is all I spent at Hancock's.

Another item on my list was to test drive long arm machines. So far I like the Gammill Premiere Plus or the Classic Plus and the Tin Lizzie. I was really surprised about the Tin Lizzie LS really smooth...there was a big difference in price so I will not rush into a decision too fast. I will test drive the machines again before making a decision. The other machines I tested had a lot of vibrations that were hard on my hands. I have no problems with my hands or wrist...so I was surprised when I felt the discomfort.

Off to the gym....Paducah food it bad, but oh so good!!!
Will post photos of my goods!

Hugs and Blessings...off to the gym!

Traci

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Stash Reduction Effort

Well, I didn't purchase any fabric this week...smile. Paducah is this week...I will have a lot to report after that.

I started the Quiltville Orange Crush Mystery as planned..all from stash!

I attend two workshops using all stash fabric...nothing new was purchased. I wanted something new and different...there are so many new and exciting floral prints now but I didn't purchase anything at all.

This week was a trying one...work, work and more work. The unit is gratefully not super busy but the other stuff that I must do simply drained me. It didn't help that I had the crud...I don't usually get sick so when I do it becomes a big production. It doesn't help that the valley is blooming! I have allergies...bad allergies. So the crud coupled with my allergies is something like having a quart of ice cream up your nose and cottage cheese stuck in your throat...all at the same time. My throat felt like a grater attacked me then someone poured gasoline on it then set it on fire. Misery!!

I am allergic to every grass known to man....spring, not my favorite time of year.

Just a reminder that summer another unpleasant time of the year is on the way....yuck!!!

On a good note...I feel much better!

Hugs,
Traci

Barbara Olson Workshop Continues



Barbara Olson Workshop Photos

Barbara Olson Visits The Guild



With great pleasure we hosted Barbara Olson at the guild on Thursday. Her lecture and quilts were an inspiration. Her use of color was outstanding.




I was fortunate to take two workshops with Barbara. Jump Start you Creativity and Cosmic Spirals. The spirals are interesting....foundation piecing. She uses Sulky Totally Stable as her foundation...hard initially to use but I like it a lot better than freezer paper or paper. The picture above is Cosmic Spirals by Barbara Olsen. It will be a long long time before my wall hanging is photographed. I did finish up the black and white spiral for the top block...only!




The above wallhanging is Barbara's Wild Thing. This is a machine appliqued project. She used glue stick and the blanket stitch. She uses Invisible Thread (smoke) Monopoly and Bottom Line in the bobbin.

If any of you have a Viking....my $6,000 sewing machine doesn't like glue stick. I love the control you have with the glue stick...but I wonder if I could use spray starch or something else instead. Exposing my machine to that much glue kind of makes me nervous. Barbara assured me that cleaning the needle with an alcohol swab and also cleaning it after each bobbin change would be enough...hmmm.

Hugs and Blessings!

Traci

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

And Another Thing!!

Tivo....is acting up. Well, not Tivo but the HDTV Cable box is acting up....I have no time for the cable people to come out, none!!!

Luckily I have another Tivo box...sad! So Sad!!!!

Can you hear me screaming!!!

I am Back...well sort of!

Spring has come to the valley! Unfortunately!! I have had a cold, allergy episode and/or sinus event...all while working!!! It has been awful.

My nose has been dripping, my throat feels like someone has been poking it with hot irons and my head feels like a elephant is sitting on it. Can you tell I don't feel good!!

WEll, there was no other options...I had to work. So I just worked the days I had too....and today I died! I don't have time to be sick...I have a meeting in the morning and a luncheon to attend. I also have to get ready for the Barbara Olson workshops this weekend , work on my Orange Crush Mystery and enjoy my one day off before starting again.

No stashbusting to report this week. I will use stash in the Barbara Olson workshops though...didn't have time to shop for anything new, smile!

Will post pictures of Step 1 and 2 of the Orange Crush Mystery hopefully Monday.

Hugs and Blessings!

Traci

Saturday, April 05, 2008

Resting

Work this week has been beyond bad! I have been there every single day this week including today!

So.....the rest of my day was spent trying to renew myself. I went to the gym, I took a nap and finally we went out to dinner...I will hopefully climb into bed with a book really soon and fall blissfully asleep...oh joy!

Haven't started on the Orange Crush mystery yet or any of the other items on my to do list...hopefully that will happen tomorrow afternoon.

Sleep well everyone..."see" you soon.

Hugs,
T.