Staying busy

While I took a break from blog posting for a while I did take some time in August and September to finish this quilt I started for Tiger back in the spring. I had done everything but hide all my threads. It sat around as a UFO (unfinished object) for many moons until I got motivated to get it finished and up on the wall.

I made it from a pattern called Around Town published by The Country Quilter. I like using patterns (instead of kits) because then I can customize it and use fabrics that I like. I did add a few personal touches to the quilt that weren't included in the instructions.

• I made the flower delivery truck into a FedEx truck.
• I made the gas pump a diesel pump
• I changed two of the yellow signs. One I put on a U-turn and the other I put a tractor on. Both of these are legitimate signs that I did find on the internet. (Where do you think I got the picture for the tractor from?)
• The two white signs say "DO NOT PASS" and "RIGHT LANE MUST TURN LEFT." The former being a legitimate sign and the latter a little bit of humor all tucked up in my quilt.

The border/sashing fabric has roads with all sorts of cars and trucks on it. I bought it at Great American Quilt Factory but I also saw it at High Prairie Quilts. I also used it for the backing fabric. I machine appliqued all the cars and signs. I used Sulky Totally Stable iron-0n tear-away stabilizer during the applique process. I fused it to the back of the fabric at the same time I fused the appliques to the front using Steam-a-Seam 2. This worked well for 2 reasons: 1) I fused both in one easy step and 2) because I had to move each piece in and out of the machine many times and the stabilizer didn't become separated from the fabric. This is my favorite stabilizer for working with iron-on appliques. I quilted in the ditch around each block and then added some lines in the borders. I used a blue/green varigated thread for this and for the back when I quilted around each car/sign individually in clear monofilament thread.

I did cut out all the pieces individually. So each time you see a fabric change it is a different piece of fabric. The only things I did "color" myself were the checkerboard on the taxi, the lines on the RR crossing sign and the lettering on the diesel pump, stop sign, RR crossing sign, "DO NOT PASS,"and "RIGHT LANE MUST TURN LEFT" signs. In some cases there is thread painting of detail lines on the vehicles.

I have since completed 2 other sewing projects. The Halloween costumes and pajamas for Tiger. I think I will post pictures of the pajamas at a later date.

I'm glad I don't live in Provo.

Now, don't get me wrong, it's not a horrible place. I grew up there after all. Lots of my friends and family still live there or close to there. And living there has its advantages (including being close to family) and disadvantages (possibly including living close to family). I am glad that I have had the chance to live away from there. For the most part I am happy not living there (we do visit somewhat regularly). I miss my friends and family who live there, but I'm not in a hurry to move back (or anywhere else for that matter). I like where I live, I like the people I live by and I'm generally happy with the condition of my address right now.

That said, I ran across this post at passiveagressivenotes.com and it helped me remember some of the reasons I am happy not living there. If you went to BYU or ever lived in student housing there in Provo you should get a real kick out of this note!

http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com/2009/11/01/piece-out-our-imperfections-with-your-thoughts/

I like reading this particular blog. I love to see how other people vent thier anger/frustration/bad mood without having to do it in person.

The haul.

Well, the first part.

Here's the boys enjoying the one piece of candy I let them have from their buckets after the trunk or treat. After I wouldn't let them have another piece they insisted on taking the buckets to bed with them (I did put lids on them). We will see what happens when they get limited tomorrow to only one piece.

Getting all dressed up

for candy, that is.

Cookie Monster and Elmo were a big hit at the ward trunk or treat. And they did stand still for a moment. As you can see the photo shoot went downhill fast:

Though they still looked really cute at the end of the party. They didn't wear those head pieces for very long though.

And here's the proof!

Proof for those of you not of my state that is, in fact, beginning to look a lot like Christmas even if the calendar still reads October.

FYI: I took both pictures w/o going outside. B.A.R. was kind enough to go out and use the snowblower to clean up the sidewalks, etc. It also snowed another 2+ inches after these were taken. Today it was nice and slushy and warm and about half of it melted. The roads were even starting to dry out in spots. Looking forward to a soupy/slushy Halloween.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. . .

and it's not yet Halloween.

I see the snow as it fell

and now on the ground as well

And it's coverin' up all the leaves.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas, and not like Halloween.

I mean, with this weather what are you supposed to do to make Halloween an enjoyable holiday? I have some suggestions for surviving this year's Colorado Halloween

• Make a snowman and dress him up as a ghost.
• Use your jack-o-lantern for the head of you snowman.
• Use snow for the fake graves in your yard instead of leaves.
• Break out your thermal underwear to wear under your costume.
• Dress up as the old neighbor from Home Alone and walk around with a snow shovel and a trash can full of deicer.
• Dress up as Santa Clause, 'cause you'll fit right in.
• Be happy that your kids will get tired of being cold before their candy bags get very full.
• Smile and exclaim, "We should have icicles on Halloween every year."
• Put out your lawn Christmas decorations so that they see some snow this year.
• Organize a neighborhood candy swap. Everybody shows up in one location and you do all the candy swapping in 5 minutes and then you all go home.
• Put on your favorite Halloween (or Christmas) movie and boycott the weather entirely.

Just some suggestions to make your holiday a little more enjoyable.

Maybe we should celebrate Christmas this weekend, since the weather doesn't match the holiday, maybe the holiday should be made to match the weather.

With apologies to Bing

I'm dreaming of a fall-colored Halloween

Where the trees tops still cling tightly to the last few leaves

and children go trick or treating without parkas.

I'm dreaming of a cool Halloween

like the one we had last year. (minus the stitches in my finger)

Where the trunk or treat does not involve heaters

and the costumes are not hidden under coats.

Really, since we relocated to the great state of CO Halloween has felt more like January. With the exception of last year.

The first year B.A.R. was here by himself and watching it snow.

The second year it was 26 degrees or so for trick or treating.

The third year it was 15 degrees or so for trick or treating.

The forth year the weather was a pleasant 50 something and while I sat outside and passed out candy and B.A.R worked to remove a fuel pump.

This year is leaving little hope for a snow-free holiday.

Wednesday we had snow all day. Yesterday the 3-4 inches began melting and revealing all the ungathered leaves underneath. I have no doubt that the snow will all be gone by Saturday, but I am also sure it will snow again before next Saturday. Since when is Halloween supposed to remind you of Christmas?

Dirty Money

Today, I offered to make the kids sandwiches for a snack. They both got really excited.

Tiger said, "I want a sandwich with butter and money on it."

Lucky for them I made a sandwich with peanut butter and honey.

Preschool learning

So I didn't send Tiger to preschool this year for various reasons; none of them had to do with his mental readiness. He will definitely go next year. We have been teaching him important things:

• We are teaching him to subtract since he figured out how to add all by himself.
• The difference between a "prop job" and a jet. Since we live close to an airport this learning happens whenever we are outside.
• Logo recognition for all sorts of different shops and companies.
• Vehicle recognition. Tiger can now tell the difference between a Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Jeep, Hummer and Fake (Toyota) truck. He knows the Honda logo and we are working on recognizing cars by logo too.

While we were outside this morning an Audi Allroad drove by and Tiger asked, "Mommy, is that a Jeep?"

"No, that's and Audi car."

"An owwee car?"

"Audi car."

"Mommy, thats an owwee car."

Conversation over.

-------------------------------------------------

What's the advantage of an Audi?

No Lint. Just ask Blanket.

Sunday Funnies Dictionary

Dancing Monkey- aka Monkey- Desitin.

One day Tiger picked up an almost empty tube of Desitin and said, "Look Mom, its a dancing monkey." He then danced the tube on the top of the counter as if it really was a dancing monkey. After that I would ask him to bring me the tube and he would only understand if I asked for the "monkey." So now it is called "monkey" and is universally understood in this house to mean Desitin.

I guess I will have to call hooligan-type behavior "being a gibbon" or "being a lemur." "Monkey" is out.