September | 2007 | Mrs. Schmenkman Quilts

Archive for September, 2007

Not yet bifocals

September 28, 2007 at 3:28 pm · Filed under Everyday Things

A nurse friend informed me that 42 3/4 is the magic age for needing bifocals. She mentioned this just days before my 43rd birthday. I panicked. Then I had a few instances where things didn’t want to come into focus while I was at the sewing machine. But, hey, look at these! Single vision lenses! I passed the read-the-tiny-up-close-print test with flying colors. Take that, aging eyes! I’m not sure why the thought of bifocals bothered me so much. Probably something about how it’s only downhill from here.

Do you see the BRIGHT GREEN case? I felt like I was a kid again while I was waiting to see what the technician pulled out of the drawer of filled glasses orders. This is what went through my head: Oh, put the black glasses case back. No, those aren’t mine either, that’s an ugly case, put that back. Hey, would you take a look at who the bright green one belongs to? Yeah, that one, pick it up. YES!

What can I say? It’s the small things that keep me happy.

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Pardon me

September 27, 2007 at 2:33 pm · Filed under Books

I’ll be temporarily unavailable. I’ll be enjoying a piece of raspberry lemon pie (you have been keeping up with the yummy Blog-able Feast, haven’t you?) and curling up with Kaffe. See you soon.

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A good old-fashioned street fair

September 24, 2007 at 2:36 pm · Filed under Everyday Things

We went on a visit to the hometown this weekend for Street Fair. There was a lot of junk food, but there are no pictures of the junk food because it was eaten. Some of us still have a tummy ache. I knew I shouldn’t have had that elephant ear.

We went a little crazy.

We rode a horse (only once this year). This horse is named Hazel.

We went up high.

We went around.

And around.

We also went around on other rides. This was the first year for riding on the bumper cars (three times). Only one adult braved the tilt-a-whirl.

We were nearly eaten by a shark.

We completely missed riding on this. How did that happen?

We visited with family and friends and even snuck in two visits to the local quilt store.

All in all, it was a great time at the fair. The weather is usually good for chili and hot chocolate, but this weather was spectacular–just right for lots of snow cones.

See you next year, fair!

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Some things that are red

September 19, 2007 at 4:00 pm · Filed under Books, Everyday Things

I’ve been enjoying a couple of new red things this week.

I’m very fond of Janet Bolton‘s work. After seeing this new book at Janet Clare’s site, Quiltmania whisked my order to me from France. It is the most beautiful quilt-related book I own.

And then there are new red shoes. I have a weakness for red shoes. I saw this pair at Leanne’s House. I resisted their call from Australia by way of eBay. And then I gave in. I was feeling a tad guilty (always with the shoes around here) until I put them on. Shall we say that I don’t own a more comfortable pair of shoes? They are light as a feather and very soft. The brand is Barani; the style is Jane.

Finally, while not a new thing, I bring you the miracle of the Starry Wind hibiscus. Plants spontaneously die when they see me. They weep when they are brought into my house. Somehow (watering, hey, there’s a novel idea), I managed to keep this beauty alive all summer. It was a gift from one of my daughter’s teachers at the end of last year. I knew I was supposed to take it with me. I avoided going back to get it only because I knew its fate–I didn’t want the death of such a beauty on my hands. One day, poor dear daughter had to schlep it home on the school bus. It was almost as tall as she was. Here it is the end of the summer and Starry Wind is still alive! Now I’ll be sad that I won’t get to see it over the winter. I’ll have to figure out if there is a way for me (!) to keep it for next spring.

Some red things that are not showing up around here are our Netflix movies. Methinks there is an equipment problem at the P.O. We recently got just the address flap portion of the mailer but no movie (I was sad, the movie was Blades of Glory). I’m sure this situation will resolve itself. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy my other red items.

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Where HAVE you been?

September 17, 2007 at 9:06 pm · Filed under Dogs!, Everyday Things, Quilts

Oh, wait, where have I been? Well, when you’re STILL working on a quilt project you’re not enjoying (but have to do anyway), you have nothing to report that is quilt-related or slightly entertaining. I haven’t even been doing any diversionary sewing to amuse myself. I have, however, been watching a lot of movies while sewing and in the evening. Last week’s list includes Rumor Has It, Come Early Morning, serial sections of Anne of Green Gables, Away from Her, The Secret Life of Words (I guess it was Sarah Polley/Julie Christie Week) and I’m Your Man (I can’t get Antony singing If It Be Your Will out of my head).

The only amusing anecdote from last week relates to dog-walking. The younger dog has a new policy when it comes to walks. Early last week, she lucked into finding and ingesting part of a powdered donut that was on the sidewalk. We had avoided this same donut the night before. The next day–after some heavy rains–we walked near it again and she managed to scoop it up and eat it. I say she was in cahoots with the other dog who served as a distractionary subterfuge. I’m not sure what the other dog got out of the deal. In any event, now the younger dog has a policy of “pick it up in your mouth and ask questions later.” See, once it’s in your mouth, you can decide if it’s food and then spit it out if it doesn’t fit the criteria (it’s a broad category, after all). So, while we walk, EVERYTHING gets picked up and assessed…you do know that it’s the season for the acorns to drop. And we live near a convenience store (where said donut was found in the first place), so that is a GREAT place to taste test things…bottle caps, wrappers, more acorns. She hasn’t found a single other thing that is edible. Thankfully, she does this while still walking so it doesn’t break our pace, and it makes me laugh out loud every time! Oh, and rest assured, I am making sure she doesn’t pick up anything that might injure her.

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Ever feel like you’re getting nowhere?

September 11, 2007 at 7:19 pm · Filed under Quilts, Whining

Yeah, me too.

After creating this pile of disappointment, I get to supervise the counting of the contents of four bags of Dum Dums. Hmm, I wonder how long it will be before I’m doing the counting. And, no, you may not take the Dum Dums to school in one of the glass jars from Ikea. We have a new term, it’s called the “estimation bag.”

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September 10, 2007 at 6:20 pm · Filed under Everyday Things

Will someone please get these out of my house? Take them somewhere where the residents (all right, I speak only for myself) have some self control. Thanks.

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And then there were more ducks

September 7, 2007 at 5:54 pm · Filed under Quilts

Do you notice a theme this week? These ducks are cooperating. They need some hand stitching before they become a small completed project. You too can make these ducks. Go visit Janet Clare. She is generous enough to share a pattern and stitching instructions. I love these little ducks!

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Odd duck

September 6, 2007 at 7:27 pm · Filed under Fabric, Quilts

Don’t these ducks crack you up? I take these ducks as a personal challenge. They are taunting me. I’ve been trying to figure out what one could possibly do with them–besides slapping them on the back of a quilt. They will not happily be cut into squares for piecing (without harming many of their friends in the process). I don’t really want to put a big length of them in the middle of some blocks. They might become part of a row by row quilt. I do envision mixing up some other blocks with them–maybe some smaller blocks and some applique. The blocks pictured with them are called “Flying Squares, ” so I thought that would be fitting. There are several other goose or duck related pieced blocks to choose from also. I’ll be exploring those. The ducks are an Alexander Henry print. A very funny Alexander Henry print…

I am trying to contain my excitement over here. I didn’t think it was going to happen, but I’ll be on my way to quilt market at the end of October. How many sleeps is that???

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