Sunday, September 30, 2012

My "Breakfast" In Bed

Sometimes it's nice to have breakfast in bed--even if I have to get up and fix it for myself. Today was not one of those times.

I was peacefully slumbering, dreaming of a two-story Wal-Mart (NO--this is not truly a dream of mine as I despise having to go to Wal-Mart. Two stories would just make it more of a nightmare). Jude, my lovely, sweet, boy-cat had been outside since about 5:50 a.m. It was now about 7:15. The only reason I know this is because of what happened when Jude came back inside.

If you'll recall my post from the other day (here), he left me a present in the living/dining room. Well, I guess he was in a giving mood again this morning.

I awoke when Jude jumped up on the bed and began pawing at my legs. Normally this means he just wants to snuggle up, but he just wouldn't stop and lay down. So I sat up to see what was wrong with him. And that's when I got my breakfast in bed.

In his mouth, Jude had some small animal. UP. ON. MY. BED. "Thank you, but Jude, you have got to stop bringing animals inside!" I said to him. So what does he do? He drops said animal onto my bed. It was then that I see it's a small bird--because it started flapping it's wings vigorously all around my bed. Luckily, it was still too stunned to fly! 

Jude promptly picks the poor thing up and gives it to me again. I manage to get hold of it and see that it's a hummingbird. Loosely wrapping my hand around it, I went to the den to get a better look. I can feel this little bird's heart beating a million miles a minute!!  I'm not sure if he'll make it, but I pet him on the head and talk to him some, mostly apologizing for my cat's prowess at catching small flying things (usually bugs). 

After a few minutes, I take little birdie outside, trying to decide if I want to put him down anywhere--a bush, tree, etc. I have no shoes on and can't get off the porch, so I go back inside to get some shoes. That's when he decides to come back to life and starts flapping his wings. Forget the shoes--I go out the carport door and open my hand, and little birdie flies off. Straight toward Jude who has apparently jumped the fence from the backyard and is in the neighbor's front yard.

So about 20 seconds later, Jude brings me my breakfast. Again. Poor little bird!! I pick him up (he's not flopping around this time) not knowing if he'll make it this time. But after several more minutes (and a couple of pictures) he flies off--this time from the back porch (Jude's still under the carport out front) and into a tree in the neighbor's back yard. Let's hope he's not too internally damaged. And that he won't fly into Jude's path again!

This was taken about a minute and a half before he perked up and flew off.
I love my sweet Jude, but I'll be very grateful if he never brings me breakfast in bed again!

Thanks for stopping by!

Friday, September 28, 2012

Hey, Jude. Don't Make It Bad

So my good boy Jude is quite the character. The other day he brought me a present. Inside the house. And beheaded and disemboweled it. In my dining room. Feathers EV.RY.WHERE. (and yes, I meant to leave the other E out). But I still love him.

So tonight he decided he'd climb into the Target cold bag. I couldn't resist the photo op.

luckily there were no claws involved...

you can't see me!

darn! she found me.
After I took that last pic, he crawled back in and wiggled around until there were no chinks in his "curtain." Then he proceeded to flop around some until he finally got comfortable (I suppose) and was still for a while.  Isn't he so pretty?!?

Now for non-cat business.

T-minus ONE WEEK until my first "I've-entered-a-quilt" quilt show!!  I'm so excited!! Monday at lunch I'll deliver my quilt, and Wednesday after work I'm going back to help hang the quilts for the show. A sneak peek of all the beautiful quilts *woohoo*!!  Can't wait!

Hopefully I'll have some more projects to show on here before long. I've got two quilts needing to be quilted--they're SUPPOSED to be Christmas gifts for my nieces. SHHHH!! Don't tell!

Thanks for stopping by!


Saturday, September 15, 2012

Evolution of a Koi (Quilt)

It all began in February of this year--just an idea in my brain--Koi No. 1. It seems like it has taken forever, and that is probably because I have not worked on it continually since I cut the first piece of fabric. I'm a bit of a procrastinator! But the day has finally come that work on the koi quilt is complete! I just finished up stitching on the hanging sleeve, and I am SO HAPPY!! 

So I thought I'd do a photo montage of how it all came together for posterity (haha!). Without further ado, I give you the Evolution of a Koi (Quilt)...

colors chosen
body cut out

koi pinned on--ready to start the applique'
tail and fins
appliquéd
here, fishy, fishy--all
appliquéd on!
 
lily pad #1, check!
all applique' complete
little fishy eyes

scales begun
and scales done!
koi down...lilypads to go
lily pad done
quilt top completed!!
quilting progressing
yay! quilting finished!
binding complete--the front
binding complete--the back
Koi No. 1--hanging and ready to go!

Hope you enjoyed seeing my quilt from beginning to end. Thanks for stopping by!

Tooting My Horn!!! (a tah-dah moment)

TAH-DAH!!! The koi quilt is D.O.N.E.  DONE!

It's 12:41 a.m. as I'm typing this, and I just finished the binding. And if I do say so myself, it looks WONDERFUL! *grin* But you take a look for yourself...



I love love LOVE this quilt!  (I DID say I was tooting my own horn, folks...)

(the back)
I've made the label to put on the back, just have to stitch it on. Then the only thing left will be to sew and stitch on the sleeve by which it will hang at the show on October 5, 6, and 7!! If you're in the Hattiesburg area, stop by Lake Terrace Convention Center and check it out (and all the other quilts, too)--info for the show can be found here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

All Done But the Binding...

Well folks, the quilting portion of this little exercise is DONE!! I do have to say I am very pleased with how it turned out. And on that note, I have to give at least a corner's worth of credit to my best friend Heather--she suggested an intersecting ripple pattern--which you can see in the upper right corner. I tried it yesterday and had to rip it out because it didn't look right. In fact, it looked TERRIBLE. But I tried again and woohoo! If at first you don't succeed, try, try again...and here is the result--(please, if you are an expert in water ripple patterns, do not comment on the unrealistic patterns...it is art, ya know *wink*)


So now I just have to bind the little sucker and it will be. all. done.!! *insert happy dance here*

Thanks Heather for the idea!

And thanks for stopping by!

Saturday, September 8, 2012

futbol, Futbol, FUTBOL!! (and a quilt update)

Today was opening day for fall soccer! But let me tell you--It. Was. HOT!! Cheese muffins was it hot!! My knees are sunburned. My knees!! And we were sitting under the SportBrella...man. But fun was had by all *grin*

R played first, but I didn't get to see her 1st game because I had to go to another field with E because her 1st game was starting before R's finished.

That's my sweet R, above. She plays every game, all game long, with her tongue out. A true athlete! Haha!! When she and my sister made it over to E's game, she told me she made so many goals that she lost count. Way to go R!!

E has improved SO MUCH since the spring...she made 2 goals in her first game and 1 in her second game! She also played defender and kicked some major butt! (sorry the pic's so far away--E is in the peach jersey, right center, next to the tall girl in orange)


I'm so proud of how well E played!

I got to see R in her second game, and it was quite humorous. R played more than all the girls out on the field put together. One little girl (R is in a younger bracket) kept walking off the field in the middle of play to get cheese crackers. Another chased a butterfly around--I kid you not! Her coach: "chase the ball, forget the butterfly!" And then at another point, R was basically the only one left on the field because all the other little girls got tired of playing *grin* Good stuff!

Now for the quilt update. The actual quilting is coming along nicely, and I have the wounds to prove it! I put the binding together last night, so it will be ready and waiting when I complete the quilting portion of the exercise.

koi is swimming along!
 I'm really proud of how it's looking so far!

And now I am probably going to go to bed even though it's only 8:30 p.m. I'm POOPED from today! (I also went for a jog this afternoon--but there was a wonderful breeze, so it wasn't too bad or too hot).

Thanks for stopping by!