Monday, December 19, 2011

Happy Grinchmas!

Well, the turkey is not bought, the tree is not up, the house is not ready and 20 guests have said yes, "I'm coming"!  Where are the sitting and what are they eating, better yet, what are they bringing?!,  and why am  I not ready?  It's just the usual Christmas spirit, a time for procrastination, yet, 100%  knowledge that it will get down, as it always has.  But, 6 Grinch lap quilts tops are done, 4 embroidered aprons are done, 2 volunteer embroideries completed and delivered, all presents bought up until today wrapped,  I have watched every holiday movie, sometimes more than once,  on 6 channels and I have seen "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" 4 times!  Favorite movie is "The Ref".  but my heart belongs to the Grinch!
Hope everyone has a holly, jolly, Christmas!  It is triumphant you know!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Times Square

The Dakota where John Lennon was killed
The largest Gothic Cathedral in the World
Grant's Tomb
Macy's windows
Bergdorf Godoman windows



Lady GAGA's theme store in Barney's
Me and Lady GAGA!
Lady Gaga's windows in Barneys that she designed
NYC Windows of the holiday season!  a must see!
My husband Don,and I went to NYC for the weekend, especially to see Holiday windows and they did not disappoint, especially the Lady GAGA windows at Barneys, the "Make a Wish Foundation" windows at Macy's and Bergdorf  Goodman windows, whatever the  reason they were designed for they, were fabulous, as always.  If you go to NYC all these are a must.  I did buy Gaga stuff,  the proceeds go to her foundation that celebrate that we should all celebrate who were born as and live up to that!  I do.  No fabric this time but the tour in the double decker red bus that we took for 6 hours with great historical information  and the joyful feeling is reason enough to go.
Think about it.  Have you visited your local capital, mine is Boston, and rode on the tourist bus around that city?  Why is it that when  we go oversees and  do domestic travel outside our native state  we  tour all the sites  there yet we never visit  our own state as a tourist?  You should.  The Duck Boat ride in Boston and the red double decker bus tour is interesting and awesome to listen to.  You can read about the history in a book but sometimes the story behind the history is just as interesting.
Jessica

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Well, I finally got a good look at the fellow that has been stalking me all week in the water in front of my camp.  It is he, not an otter, but a dreaded Beaver!  RODENT VARMINT!  He is no longer cute but a menace, funny how a little difference in the tail can make!  WHAM BAM instead of cute and pointed.  I think he is living under the dock as he seems to always be watching me.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Chenille again and always

Today, still no snow, yet the air is crisp and the smell of the wood stove reminds me, "Let's have a snow day!"   A friend is coming to over, who has taken my Chenille class in the past, and wants to relearn how to make a Chenille jacket for  another friend for Christmas.  Very ambitious. YIKES!
I don't usually talk about how I make  my Chenille cloth before creating a jacket or vest in my Slevedge Queen talk, too much time, plus I talk too much already.  The right supplies will make the process more enjoyable and quicker.

Supplies: Sewing machine with normal supplies, threaded with spool of funky colored thread and  10 bobbins in any color, Hera marking stick (I love this and I will explain why, it is cheap), chalk or washaway marker, large ruler with 45 degree angle on it. Large/medium rotary cutter with new blade, and cutting mat. Small pointed and blunt nose scissors are helpful.  Electric scissors are good if you are going to cut through all the layers.  Chenille cutting mats, for fussy cutting areas that you do not cut through.  I buy online.
Fabric: !5 yards and do not wash!  Big bold, bright prints work best, I love Alexander Henry fabrics!

Monday, December 5, 2011

Rudolphe visited!

I know I bought him and brought him home but he stared at me from the outside for days and then the lake, while admiring the view,  tried to come in and when he did he went right to my Christmas tree and posed for numerous pictures with his and my favorite friend, or whatever he is, the Grinch WHO was happy and angry as he posed.  He went to my sewing room to check out my latest quilt and then went out to enjoy the sunset and the otter under the palms and then went back to staring at me from the outside in!  My Protector!

Selvedge Queen: My first real post ,my first bizarre story, which ...

Selvedge Queen: My first real post ,my first bizarre story, which ...: Today I thought I finally had something interesting and bizarre to add to my blog that I wanted to share! My husband left, on another busin...

My first real post ,my first bizarre story, which will be only the first of many adventures to follow!

Today I thought I finally had something interesting and bizarre to add to my blog that I wanted to share!  My husband left, on another business trip, but he did bring the fake Christmas tree down from the shed.  He shook it out and looked for critters, but found none, only a mousy smell!  Which he preceded to deodorize for hours!  That was yesterday.  Today I took down the boxes of trimming from the before mentioned shed and put on a Christmas movie, I hope you know there are 4 different channels playing them so make sure you have your remote ready to flip through them!  Such wonderful memories were inside these boxes, but first the preloaded lightes on this tree were not lighting.?  AHA!  I found the culprit, frayed wires and then I found it or it exposed itself to me, who cares, it was there, a petrified mouse!!      AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
I ran outside to look at the calm water of my lake that I live on and watched an otter watch me!  He's been here all week doing some nefarious deed as one has in the past.  Another story for latter.  As I went back in, a stink bug awaited me and then another, the wild life all out to get me!
When I came back, I deposed of the critter in the wood stove, more mousy smell, and decorated, I must say a gorgeous tree.  I then felt the need to create  more so I went in to my studio, cleaned it up with my trusty, favorite tool, the 18" screwdriver, ask me about this sometime.  I worked on a Round Robin, again ask, and then took pictures of the Rudolphe I bought at Homegoods!  Time to wine down.
Jessica

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Who, What, Why and How to become a Selvedge Queen

 In the beginning.....

Once upon a time...............
I have  been sewing since I was 9.   Who were the people who
made me sew?  Why start so young?  What did I do
and why am I compelled to create with the "Naughty Threads"
and "Naughty Friends" of my life?  How and why did I get from
calico dressed  matching outfits to jackets with tails and love to wear them. 
Kind of an exhibitionist. Past polititian, past president of guilds, docent, married,  a long time, 2 married children with 4 grandchildren.  What 's a docent? How long is long?
Where do I store all my weird clothing and numerous UFO's when I live in a 1000 square foot camp?
Why am I amassing more fabric and thread when I have  enough for a thousand
quilts and why did I make the ones that are everywhere?

Maybe time and this ongoing blog will answer!
Will it go happily ever after?

-Jessica