Long Time, No Post

My how long it has been since I've blogged. I promised my next post would be all about me. So if you're interested, read on. Since my last post, that is the post before my giveaway posts, I have been let go from my job. That was a bummer because I had hoped to work up until the kids got out of school for the summer. With that happening, the creativity was sucked right out of me for a while. I got over that, and have started looking for houses because my dear hubby is moving us back to NC this summer. Yeah!! We are doing the happy dance. Louisiana is okay, but I've always felt like a visitor in this state, and long to go back home to NC. I'm a NY'er born and bred, but love NC. So anyway, I'm looking on the internet for houses, schools, doctors, and so on. Lots of work, little time for crafting. Then I have to start packing. I'm a procrastinator so I've been just thinking about packing, not doing any of it all. And then since I'm not working I thought what a great time to go on some field trips with the kids. In the past two weeks I've gone to see the Wizard of Oz with Anaya and we also went Easter egg hunting. I've been to the zoo with Justin, and a LEAP ballgame with Alani. I'm hoping that you all know what LEAP is. It's a series of tests the children have to take at the end of the year, starting in the 4th grade. It was pretty serious business for the children. If they fail the test, they fail the grade. Something I'm not happy with because some children just don't do well with tests. So an honor roll student will have to go to summer school or repeat the grade if they fail the LEAP/ iLeap test. Even though they've done well all year long. I think that sucks. Anyway, we'll see how well the children did in May. So the LEAP ballgame was a way for the children to let out some energy from wracking their brains with testing for a week. Now, the children are out for Easter Break. What fun, what fun!! But what was not fun was the tooth that broke while I was brushing my teeth. My husband asked have I been brushing my teeth with brillo. You would thinks so, huh? I go to the dentist who works on my tooth and puts a temporary crown on it. I got an infection from that and was in so much pain I had to actually take medicine to get relief. I don't like to take meds and will often deal with pain and discomfort instead. Not that time. I went back to the dentist, got my antibiotics and pain meds, and proceeded to be pain free. Two weeks later, and I now have my permanent crown. And no pain. Whew. Then I've been having knee pain. My sewing knee at that. So I went to the doctor for that, and he sends me for an MRI. Well, I knew I had a little issue with claustrophobia, but I had no idea just how much until I went into that death chamber they call an MRI. I was crying, praying, breathing heavily, and trying my best to keep that machine from moving me any further into the chamber. Finally, after 45 minutes, I'm set free. And I tell you, I will not be doing that again. The next time I'm asked if I'm claustrophobic I will not say, ' it depends on how small the space and how long I'm in it'. I will say YES!!! The MRI came back, and it turns out I have a fractured ACL in my right knee. My sewing knee. I was offered surgery, no thank you, and drugs, I don't think so. So instead, I have to do some exercises to try and strengthen my hamstrings which is suppossed to help my knee. Specifically, cycling for 20 minutes a day, walking, and definitely no lunges. Aw shucks. So, in between all of the goings on in my life, I've eeked out some time to do a little quilting. Not much, but I did manage to finish the quilt that was started with youcanmakethis. The pic below shows the front with a little bit of the backing. You can see on the binding, which I love to do while watching television, I had to use two different types of fabric becuase I ran out of the backing. I've been on a fabric buying freeze, gasp!! I know, because of not having a job anymore and trying to move and all. I like the way it looks though.
This is the front of the quilt. I love the scrappiness of it. I can look at each pinwheel block and tell you what the fabric from the block was originally used on. Cool!!

This is a doll quilt I did with the ladies from sewmamasew. The pic below is showing it sideways for some reason, but you get the gist. It was made from scraps as well.

This pic shows the backing. I was able to use the same fabric for the binding on this one.

With both of these quilts I did some stitch in the ditch quilting. I totally suck at that. I've been practicing my stippling but still do not feel comfortable enough to try it on a big quilt yet. On my table now I have some fabric cut to make a chinese coins quilt for Alani, and I have a quilt for myself in the works using Civil War Crossings fabric by Moda. Then I'll start on Justin's quilt. Can't leave him out. So, there you have it. The reasons I've been MIA from blogland. But I'm back now, and will be blogging a bit more. At least this week while the kids are out.

~Tootles for now!