Another Door Closes....

Hello from crazy, busy, Ferndale, MI! 

I know you haven’t heard much from me this month – haven’t even finished my SAL blocks!  It’s been a month of “when one door closes….” except I’ve had doors close, blow open, others slam, some fall down, others locked… LOL!  2 more weeks and another door closes – this one was home to me for 19 years.  I’ve been promised that soon the world will stop spinning, and I can rest awhile.

Ok, so what’s in store for September?

·         I hope to share pictures with you of a quilt show on Sept 24 & 25 at Wolcott Mill Metropark.  Never been so I’m not sure what the quilts will be like but the surrounding area is GORGEOUS!

·         Heading to Traverse City with the family – will post some reviews of the fabulous quilt shops up there!

·         Making great headway on my Civil War Courthouse Steps quilt – pictures to follow

·         My Tis the Season SAL project is supposed to be finished, pieced, quilted & bound by Sept 30^th.  Chooky just cracked the whip so I better get moving!

·         Will continue to post Michigan travel pictures during my waymarking adventures.  My Vitamin D levels are up, and I’ve even shed a few pounds.

Glad you are sticking around on this little adventure!

Elisa

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday - Waymarking Edition

The pond at Heritage Park in Farmington, MI
Stop across the road to pay respect at the memorial for
Captain Stephen William Frank, US Army (d. 2005 - Iraq)

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday - Waymarking Edition

As you may know, I've seriously dived into geocaching & waymarking this summer. I especially enjoy the time spent immersing myself in wonderful-things Michigan! I try not to let it carry over into my quilting blog, but it keeps happening! I thought over the next few "(Almost) Wordless Wednesdays" I might share some of my favorite discoveries from my mini adventures.

Reflections

Photo taken by my brother, Jeremy Lobsinger

Old Greektown (Detroit) church reflecting in new Greektown parking structure

Elisa

Humble Quilt

Let me introduce you to... my humble quilt.

This pattern, comprised of 2" paper-pieced house blocks, was from Miniature Quilts a few years ago. It's perfect! Except for the puckered borders, the outside-the-lines machine quilting, the mismatched points, the whacked binding, the skewed fence, the cut-off branches...

Where is it? Bottom of the cedar chest? Nope. Hanging in my office at work. Anytime I get a little cocky, I look up at it, shake my head, and get back to work.

Have you ever made a mistake (or a plethora of them) and left it in?

Still working on my TIS stitchy.

Happy stitching!
Elisa

If you haven't seen it, visit http://www.welovefrenchknots.com/2011/08/guest-stitcher-hudsons-holidays.html for an awesome free Halloween embroidery pattern!

Back to Work

Today is the last day of my vacation. I had tons to do and major, life-altering decisions to make. I did none of it and time is running out. Disappointed? No. Which is funny since time-management could be my creed. I guess I just needed seven days to de-stress and relax enough... silence life enough.... to enjoy the sound of peace for a change. Funny that when I finally have a clear head it's time to return to work!

Isn't this pretty? It's St. Martha's Episcopal Church in Detroit, MI. I snapped this while out waymarking. The Ford Cemetery is out front - final resting place of Henry and Clara Ford (and many of their relatives).

I am making great headway on my Tis the Season blocks (if you get a chance, click the TIS button on the left. Many of my fellow quilters are finishing their tops and quilting - they're all so different!). I have 1/3 of the 12th block to complete and then the wreath label before I can sew them all together. I'm glad the humidity has receded so it's comfortable enough to sit and stitch.

Once I finish these blocks I can focus on Birdie Stitches next. Next year I'm only participating in one BOM.

Happy Stitching!
Elisa

Prickly Fingers

A lady at a quilt retreat told me once the best tool in her embroidery box was a bottle of Neosporin. Weird, right?

Ever notice on certain days (cold weather or constantly washing hands after eating Popsicles) that your hands are particularly dry and/or sensitive? Days like that, as you embroider or hand quilt, your fingertips are sore, stabbed, bleeding? Dab some Neosporin on them and protect with a band-aid. Next morning, your little fingertips will be supple and new.

I was excited today to see Neosporin-treated band-aids on my drugstore shelf.

Happy Stitching!
Elisa

UFOs Are Slow Going

Found this on the Borders Alumni Facebook page - at least we still have our sense of humor!

As promised, I've been working on my UFO's. However, as crazy as my life has been lately, I haven't been focusing on just one. So, even though I've been working and working, not much to photograph for show-n-tell. I really think that I should have my 9-patch table runner and Civil War Courthouse Steps (King) top done soon. Nice not having to work a deadline.

Tomorrow is the Woodward Dream Cruise here on M-1 in Michigan. Approximately 1.4 million people will be lining this 20-mile stretch to view classic cars, eat amazing food, listen to good oldies and people watch! May have to bike up to the action, unfold my chair, and maybe stitch a little while soaking up some vitamin D!

Where is the weirdest place you've ever stitched? Do you carry take-along projects with you?

Happy stitchin'
Elisa

Michigan ROCKS! Have you seen my cool Michigan Quilt Blogger button!?!

Michigan Bloggers and Quilt Shop

Have you seen the button Allie-Oops made? She did a great button for Michigan blogging pride:

I'll add mine as soon as I'm back home on my regular computer. Great job, Allie! You are seriously one talented lady! LOVE that bridge!

So, where I have been? Today I went on a short adventure with my Dad. We drove north to Algonac, MI for a quick trip to beautiful Harsens Island. I really love this area of the Michigan coastline - more residential than touristy. They take pride in their decorated fishing shanties and the great "painted ladies" along the road.
As we were heading north, we stopped in at the River Place Quilt & Sew next to the only other booming business in East China, MI... the Dairy Queen!

If you get a chance, drop in! They were the sweetest ladies selling Moda and Stitch Connection patterns. They didn't even ask why I was walking around with dried mud (like tar) coating one flip-flop and painting my leg up to one knee! (That's a tale for another day!)

Happy Stitching!
Elisa

Utterly Crap-tastic!

I heard "crap-tastic" for the first time today and had to chuckle. Yep, that would be today!

A local landmark burned down overnight (come to the local state fair to see the world's largest stove!), someone poisoned my grapevines, my nephew spilled his grandfather's beer all over my flip flops & bag, my cat vomitted in my good shoes, and I think I have poison ivy.

So, to cheer myself up, I'm eating Edy's Gourmet Slow-Churned French Silk ice cream, listening to the crickets, and looking at pics from my weekend. This is from Lower Huron Metropark.

On the bright side, I'm tracing my last two Tis the Season SAL blocks, and hope to share shortly!

Hoping tomorrow isn't another "Monday"!

Elisa

Vitamin D and Sanity

Have you wondered where I've been?  It's been a crazy, busy week in Fabulous, Fashionable Ferndale.  I'm still working mad hours with the closing of our local bookstore, and, when I'm not working 2 jobs, out doing a little waymarking with the family.

Waymarking?  Weird, eh?  I hadn't heard of it until a few months ago, but I'm addicted because it combines so many of my interests in one place.

Per Wikipedia:

Waymarking is an activity in which people can locate and log interesting locations around the world, usually with a GPS receiver and a digital camera. Waymarking differs from geocaching in that there is no physical container to locate at the given coordinates. Waymarking identifies points of interest for GPS users. There are many categories of waymarks, from pay phones through various restaurant chains, covered bridges, churches, places where one can take a factory tour and places of geologic significance, to name only a few.

Check out waymarks in your area at http://www.waymarking.com/ - no cost to you! See my stats on my sidebar.  I tend to gravitate to weird statues, haunted restaraunts, and odd objects in odd places.

So, to take my mind off of every day adult responsibilities and soak-up some Vitamin D, I escape with my camera and GPS unit.  Have I mentioned I LOVE road trips?  Have I mentioned I LOVE road trips with any type of historical significance?  Have I mentioned I LOVE road trips with any type of historical significance especially with my family?

And this was just one trip to the Detroit Zoo!  Never fear, though.  I will get back to quilting again soon.  Just soaking up some Vitamin D... and Z (for zoos!)

Happy summer!
Elisa

Thank you, Rockin' Robyn and Wikid Kriket for sharing your pics with me!

July Tis the Season SAL

Phew! Completed my July blocks! I would've posted it yesterday, but it was overcast (pics still came out darker than reality - hmmph).

11 blocks completed - 1 block and 1 stitched label to go!

Now onto Birdie Stitches!

Happy Stitchin'
Elisa