Major quilt, first of a series, maybe?

Two endangered species, the Green Turtle and Elkhorn coral, are featured in this 30″x 45″ quilted wallhanging called “Morning Reef.”

Settling into retirement (updated)

I joined the Miami quilt guild, Ocean Waves, and took Ellen Lindner’s “Instant Art Quilt” workshop. Great fun! Ellen is a super teacher.

Here is my result, called “Traveling in Fractured Space”

And a close-up of the quilting:

My daughter’s friend fell in love with it, but only had a big space to fill.

So this is the final product:

Also finished up lap-sized I Spy quilt for the local SafeSpace.

little bit of new work

I experimented with strips and curves in a lap quilt for myself (although my Beagle is working on taking it for himself!)

This was fun! Then my granddaughter asked for a doll quilt which went together very quickly!

Then I started cleaning and reorganizing my storage room.

Retirement cleaning deals

I have been retired for 2 months now, and it is wonderful doing things at my own pace and rarely leaving the property. I have only used a third of a tank of gas in six or seven weeks! My carbon footprint has dropped significantly!

I am exercising more, cooking more and better, and am doing a deep cleaning, weeding out and organizing all my many art and craft supplies, books and magazines.
Here is a list of magazines I no longer have room to store. Also some beading and quilting books are listed below with links to half.com.

Please contact me at stacywest7801@yahoo.com if you are interested in any of these magazines. All are in very good condition. I can send them by Media Mail or First class; your choice. I love PayPal!

Jewelry Crafts $2 each, 6 for $10
Apr 00
June 00
Aug 00
Oct 00
Dec 00
Feb 01

Bead & Button $2 each, 5 for$8
Apr 00
Jun 00
Aug 00
Dec 00
Feb 02

Bead Style $2 each
Jul 04
Sep 04

Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine $2 each, 20 for$35
Nov 01
Mar 02
Apr 02
May 02
Jul/Aug 02
Sep 02
Oct 02
Nov 02
Dec 02
Jan/Feb 03
Mar 03
Apr 03
May 03
Jun 03
Jul/Aug 03
Sep 03
Nov 03
Dec 03
Jan/Feb 04
Oct 06 (2 copies)

Quilt World $1.50
Mar 02

Quick & Easy Quilting $1.50
Apr 02

Fons & Porter Love of Quilting $2 each, 3 for $5
Jan/Feb 06
Sep/Oct 06
Nov/Dec 06

American Quilter $2 each, all 10 for $17
Winter 01
Spring 01
Summer 01
Fall 01
Winter 05
Summer 05
Projects 05
Fall 05
Spring 06
Summer 06

BOOKS available at Half.com

 

This & That: A bead pattern book Rita Sova

Creative Bead Weaving: Contemporary Guide to Classic Off-Loom Stitches Carol Wilcox Wells

 

Finishing the Figure Susan Oroyan

Anatomy of a Doll Susan Oroyan

 

 

Jacket Jackpot Judy Murrah

Hand Quilting in just one day Nancy Brenan Daniel

A Bridge to Landscape Quilts Mary L. Hackett

Snippet Sensations Cindy Walter

Replique Quilts Chris Lynn Kirsch

Free-Style Quilts Susan Carlson

Sewing Express Nancy Zieman

Practical Encyclopedia of Quilting & Quilt Design Stanley & Watson

Better Homes & Gardens New Patchwork & Quilting

The Complete Quilting Course Gail Lawther

Imagery on Fabric Jean Ray Laury

Heirloom Quilts Leisure Arts

Picture Play Quilts Ami Simms

Quilts for All Seasons Leisure Arts

 

Thoughts on retirement

One of those events that usually only happens once in a lifetime! I am feeling great elation, doing mental cartwheels down the halls at work. If I were more athletic, I’d be doing real cartwheels!

However, there are pitfalls to avoid, and as the date draws nearer, officially Jan. 2nd, but actually before the holidays, I am planning my post-retirement lifestyle. Realizing that I am one of those people who gets depressed without structure/routine/tangible production in my life, I have decided to volunteer one day a week at Recording for the Blind (I read aloud well and enjoy it.) I will have time to continue my fitness program and able to add quick walks (I walk my Beagle 2x a day, but there’s no calorie burning going on because his nose is to the ground every other minute!) I also want to add some weight work maybe every other day.

It will be a great treat to have time to be creative with meal planning. I want to do most of the household chores during the week to free up some weekend time with Jim: he has four more years before he can retire.

Of course I want to spend chunks of time with my quilting. I am in a creative lull now, perhaps because of the stress of a lifestyle change, happy as it is. So I am dealing with it by returning to the basics and learning new techniques (new to me) like paper piecing, piecing curves. By making a few lap quilts and ornaments for gifts, I am being more precise with my piecing and honing traditional skills.

It’s hard to go to work now with freedom so close (2 weeks and 1 day!!!). I am antsy and getting impatient. Thanks for “listening”!

Susie’s Sea quilt

I am making this for my sister-in-law, but I have to admit I like it so much, I’m considering keeping it for myself. Anyone else ever so tempted?

Homeland Security Quilt

I am not advertising this book, but this description of one of the crafts caught my fancy:

Jessica Vitkus, the author of Alternacrafts, challenges all of the presidential nominees to win the crafter’s vote with politically themed crafting projects. She has created two categories of appropriate craft for each party: DemoCrafts and RepubliCrafts, which include many samples of projects that the nominees could create.

For instance, with the “RepubliCraft No. 1: Department of Homeland Security Blanket”, Vitkus writes: “Endorsed by the White House and Fox News, this colorful scrap quilt is a guide to our ever-changing security alert levels. Each level is labeled with embroidery to distinguish a DHS Blanket from a gay-pride flag. (Note: Blanket is not a safety device. In case of a terrorist attack, DHS Blanket will not protect you.)”

Weight loss update

Before my knee surgery, I was swimming 14 laps 4 or 5 times a week and sticking to a really low carb diet. By mid-July, I had lost 25 -30 pounds. Of course, my exercise was limited for about six weeks, but I stayed with the diet. Now it’s 2 1/2 months since the surgery and my total weight loss is 40 pounds. My clothes are hanging off me, and I’m wearing pants I haven’t been able to zip in 5 years.

My feet don’t hurt nearly as much, I don’t wince as I pass full-length mirrors, and the many compliments are great. I hope to lose another 30 pounds by January when I turn 62 and RETIRE!!!!

First quilt since surgery

I found out that a dear friend was starting a third round of chemo, and I had to make him a cuddle quilt. He loves tropical shirts, so that’s where this started. Some gorgeous colors joined the palmtree islands, and voila!

I just love this quilt, and there is some of my best quilting on it, too! A sun design with flames covering the whole 35″ square except the edge is quilted with waves.

One month post-surgery

The knee is looking good! And I have good range-of-motion.  Still some discomfort, but it’s going to be great!  I do get tired very easily. I’m  working halftime at work and halftime at home in my recliner.