So Girly

Remember my round robin? I did my rather traditional blocks for my three fellow robins. (Sorry, missing a photo from one.) I started with black and white. This is what came back to me.

It is so ridiculously girly and pretty and fun. So, totally not me. You know what, though? I love it! I never would have put pink with it, or flowers. This is gorgeous and I'm glad I trusted others to do something fun. This entire round robin has been a great experiment in letting go and experimenting. Compassion too, as you have to think about what the recipient might want out of the quilt.

It's up to me now to add another border or two then finish it up for our June meeting. I'm thinking of another round consisting of smaller chopsticks blocks like the center. Maybe.

********

The series on quilting with kidlets underfoot will run every Monday in March. I'll be back next week with the first post on managing your space.

Kind of Numb

For the first time in 7 years we watched the Oscars.

When we last watched this gratuitous display of celebrity, film, and fashion it was shortly after my Father-in-Law died. A few days after our frantic drives through winter streets to rescue, to say goodbye some of the family gathered for dinner. We went for Indian food and came home to the TV staring at us in its temporary living room home of my in-law's home. Without thinking we sat and stared, numb at the pompous and posh party in front of us.

It kind of felt that way tonight too. If you can subtract the chaos of little girls who literally demand you watch them jump on the couch and pretend you need to be rescued.

After a weekend in Edmonton, learning the secrets of my Dad's famous salsa and coming together with family, we arrived home exhausted. Frankly, I'm so drained right now that the emotions boiling through me seem to cancel each other out and that numbness wins.

That means leftovers and the Oscars are what won tonight.

A steak never eaten because we were too tired turns into beef stroganoff. Comfort food in this family. Carrots steamed and glazed with honey and balsamic vinegar. Salad made from anything green in the fridge. A perfectly ripe winter pear next to some okay 1. 2. 3. bite brownies from Wild Earth.

Now, a beer, laundry, and packing. There is no time to process, to celebrate, to cry. I'm off again tomorrow. Leaving the girls and my man for the first time in forever when all I want to do is gather them all around me for snuggles and debates about whether there ever was such a thing as a carnitore. So tonight we gathered at the table and tried to selvage a moment that gave us all comfort, albeit brief, the ritual of dinner together.

Mable Murple

We're taking a bit of a diversion from the usual book reviews this week. That's because I, and my girls, cannot resist this book. And when it's about colour, then we quilters are automatically drawn to it.

Mable Murple is the latest offering from a fantastic Canadian author, Sheree Fitch. The illustrations are by Sydney Smith (who also illustrated The Dread Crew, another deleriously fun kids book.)

An energetic rhythm to the book and an all purple colour scheme. That pretty much defines heaven for many a preschool girl! Mable is an adventurous girl with some crazy schemes. No wonder my children love this book.

Check out the way these letters are put together. Now that's a quilt in the making. I might be tempted to make a purple quilt, just with the influence of this book. I do hope she adds more to the rainbow of books because this family is hooked.

Workshop in Progress - February 23

Been quilting a lot lately, in a lot of different colours. This has me thinking about thread storage.

I used to have a box, just a paper box, filled with thread. Actually, I still have it, but I don't use any of that thread anymore because my Pfaff really doesn't like to sew with Sulky. Since switching to Presencia thread I've only bought colours as needed. Until this rainbow showed up it was all content to sit in a vase in my dining room.

Now, however, the vase is overflowing and I've got bobbins a plenty filled with pretty colours. Before I jump in the car and drive to the store I wanted to ask you, my readers, for your thread storage ideas.

Do you store the bobbins with the corresponding thread?

If yes, how?

If no, how?

Is it better to have it in a box?

I welcome any tips you've got.

Leave your link here for this week's WIP post.

1.	agirlinparadise.blogspot.com/2011/02/work-in-pr...	A Girl in Paradise
2.	theredheadedmermaid.blogspot.com/2011/02/worksh...	Lisa
3.	aroundtheblockdesigns.blogspot.com/2011/02/wip-...	Cindy-Live a Colorful Life
4.	mysweetprairie.blogspot.com/2011/02/works-in-pr...	Monika in Saskatoon
5.	handmaderetro.blogspot.com/2011/02/from-scraps-...	Kristy
6.	nextstepquiltdesigns.blogspot.com/2011/02/two-o...	Kat
7.	gocrowgo.blogspot.com/2011/02/workshop-in-progr...	Annie Crow
8.	slootjesschilder.blogspot.com/2011/02/rather-te...	LOTJE
9.	bijouxbaby.blogspot.com/2011/02/wip-baby-girls-...	Eva Marie
10.	patchworkdream.blogspot.com/2011/02/not-so-happ...	Allison
11.	www.squaresandtriangles.com/lemonade-stand-and-...	Tanya
12.	felicityquilts.blogspot.com/2011/02/that-pesky-...	Felicity Quilts
13.	breakfastfordinnerblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/thr...	Breakfast for Dinner

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