Market Craziness

So I'm sitting here checking my email and chomping on some Mike and Ike Jolly Joes (they're grape flavoured!) and I realize I haven't posted anything since the Catherine Tate/David Tennant funniness. While I'm sure that tickled you as much as it did me, I think its time for an update.

I've been in full getting-ready-for-Market mode. That means making samples, correcting and editing instructions, and mailing things off at the 11th hour. And the worst part of it all? I'm not even going to be there! We're getting ready to move at the end of May and it just isn't going to work this time around. But hey, it's only six months til Houston, so I'll manage.

But what have I been working on? Just take a look...


Aren't those fabrics just the cutest little things you've ever seen? They're from the Classic Cottons (Exclusively Quilters) line called Off To Dreamland. All of the designs are based on a quilt purchased at an estate sale. I believe the quilt itself dates from the 1960's and all of the little motifs are so different. My favorite prints are the bunny prints. I'm pretty sure one of my Grandmothers had a stuffed bunny that was exactly like the ones on the fabric and was blue with pink pads and ears. I think that working with this line was meant to be!

Anyway, I've been working on finishing this quilt and as of right now, all I have to do is put on the borders, draw the scallop, applique dots on the border, quilt it, trim the scallop, and bind it. All of this and have it mailed off no later than May 10, including 20 pattern jackets for the sales reps to have at their stations in the Cotton Classics booth! Woo-hoo! I think I'll be able to get it all done as long the pain from the Gout stays away. If it doesn't, I just might end up like these two...


And that would NOT be a pretty picture!

Until the next post here's a favourite moment from one of my favourite shows...

Bovvered for The Doctor innit!

Here's a little something for you anglophiles and Doctor Who lovers. The new season starts soon! Yay! Little Lauren's charming in her own way...

(G)out and About

So, since my last post, which was actually posted on March 27th and not the 17th (I can't figure out how to change the date after its been saved in drafts!), there's been a lot going on. I'll start with the most recent event... a trip to the Emergency Room!

Well OK, it's not as exciting as it sounds, but I did voluntarily take myself to the ER. Two weeks ago I got out of bed and was walking around like normal but my right foot's big toes was a little sore. I figured I had slept funny or stepped the wrong way on it and I didn't think anything about it. As the week went on the pain just kept getting worse and worse and I started thinking maybe I broke my toe or fractured the joint somehow. I hadn't gone to get it checked out since I'm between jobs with no health insurance so I just figured I'd tough it out.

Well, at about 4:00 in the morning on Sunday I found myself out in front of the TV trying to distract myself from the pain, which was pretty darn bad by then, and that just was not working. I mean, it hurt to even have my lightweight quilt over that foot. So I went to Church and someone told me about a hospital in our area that would be able to help me. I waited until Wednesday to call since I wanted to give it time to see if it would get better. It didn't. It only got worse.

I went into the ER at about 11:30AM and was released around 3:30PM. It wasn't even 30 seconds after I told the Doctor what I thought might be going on when she said "This looks like Gout to me." What?! Gout? What the heck is Gout? Well, I'll tell you. I'm now an expert on the subject thanks to WebMD. Gout is like Kidney Stones in your joints. Instead of the uric acid crystals settling in your kidney and accumulating into stones, they move throughout your body and get deposited on the Bursa Sacs of major joints. Mine just happened to be in the joint of my right foot's big toe. So a few X-rays and a prescription later and I was finally leaving the hospital... at 7:00 PM.Oh, what a day was...

My foot is a little better now. Still can't really wear shoes on my right foot just yet, and if I tap my big toe just the right way I can still see stars, but I'm on the mend. The silver lining to the whole situation was that I was able to work on one of my new projects! And I've got pictures to show you, too!


I have been obsessed with working on learning embroidery stitches ever since I got Jenny Hart's book Sublime Stitching. So I busted out all wicked with some Lake House Dry Goods Cherry Baby Charm Packs I got last year at Fall Market. They are oh-so-cute if you haven't seen them. So I sorted through the packs and found some polka dot prints that would work well as a background. I took these prints as well as two focus prints with me when I went to Michaels to pick my floss colors. So here are the inspiration fabrics I took with me...


And here are the colors I ended up with!


Just looking at the floss inspires me. It's just so beautiful! I had a friend mention to me that the greens don't match each other. I told my friend to look out the window and show me three greens in nature that match. She got my point. Anyway, I chose my colors and got to work! Here are the blocks I've done so far...




All of the patterns can be found in either Sublime Stitching or in the Pattern Packs they offer. Aren't they just charming! I'll post more squares as I get them done. Have a happy afternoon!