Thursday, December 20, 2012
Updates-has it really been that long?
Thursday December 20, 2012
WOW! What happened? Where does time go? I was just reading back on some posts and I haven't posted since September!
I've been working steadily on completing the training for the Assisted LIving Administrator's licensure. I have to complete 640 hours of training (with no salary) and am now approximately 440 hours complete. About 200 more to go and I can sit for the ALF Administrator Exam and hopefully if I pass the test I'll be able to actively look for work in February sometime. Unemployment won't last forever and savings are dwindling....hate that.
I have found some time to sew and quilt as I've gone through this process. It is a good diversion from regulations and rules (boring). I've made several small quilts and will post some pics here for you. I've also worked on several projects that were in the downstairs closet (how did they get there I wonder?). When we were getting out the Christmas vintage tablecloths that I love to collect I spied the unfinished blocks and pulled them out. Eureka! I had two sets of Dresden plate blocks that needed sashing and borders so I got those done and took the pictures to list on Ebay or Etsy. I've been on Ebay for years as mountaincottagequiltsandvintagetreasures. Yes, all one word and just started listing on Etsy about 3 months ago. I've sold several tops on Etsy but it's been a slow start for me. I guess that's the way it is when it's such a specific item. Not everyone wants a quilt top, most want a finished quilt so I'm not expecting too much. It is fun to send tops off to different parts of the world. So far I've sold to people in Australia and France and that's exciting.
I'll post some pictures here for you to see and hopefully I'll not forget about the Blog again!
I do have to mention how traumatic the shootings in Sandy Hook have been. I can't imagine what those poor families must be going through. My heart goes out to all of them at this most precious time of the year.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/VAMountainQuilts
Click on the link above to see my Etsy shop.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Friday, September 7, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Gosh, it's been a while hasn't it? I've put several things on Ebay and three on Etsy for sale. Doing okay, not as well as I thought I would.
Still unemployed but waiting to hear from several assisted living facility administrators about precepting me for the ALF licensure. Wow, it's really hard to get people to commit to this! The state requires me to have 640 hours of precepting before I sit for the exam. I guess I wouldn't want someone else following me around for 4 months either. But we will keep asking and see what we can do.
Don't you just love all this ranting about employment?!
At any rate, I have been able to sew more and took a class at Cottonwood the local quilt store to learn how to operate my Bernina machine better. That was interesting and I did learn a bunch of stuff. Below are some of the tops I've been working on and selling, either on Ebay or Etsy. Seems to keep me busy and out of trouble!
Football season starts this Thursday and get ready, I am a HUGE college football fan and it all works and lives and breathes around the University of Alabama Football. My wonderful daughter and her husband both attended UA and are season ticket holders. My son and I attend in spirit..................
Eveyone have a good day!
Still unemployed but waiting to hear from several assisted living facility administrators about precepting me for the ALF licensure. Wow, it's really hard to get people to commit to this! The state requires me to have 640 hours of precepting before I sit for the exam. I guess I wouldn't want someone else following me around for 4 months either. But we will keep asking and see what we can do.
Don't you just love all this ranting about employment?!
At any rate, I have been able to sew more and took a class at Cottonwood the local quilt store to learn how to operate my Bernina machine better. That was interesting and I did learn a bunch of stuff. Below are some of the tops I've been working on and selling, either on Ebay or Etsy. Seems to keep me busy and out of trouble!
Football season starts this Thursday and get ready, I am a HUGE college football fan and it all works and lives and breathes around the University of Alabama Football. My wonderful daughter and her husband both attended UA and are season ticket holders. My son and I attend in spirit..................
Eveyone have a good day!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Yup, still here!
Still unemployed but have some interesting things on the horizon. But, to the fun part, quilting A LOT! Did pretty well on Ebay this past week, of course I haven't listed in months so it will take some time for everyone to realize I'm back on again. mountaincottagequiltsandvintagetreasures if anyone wants to check it out.
I've also set up an Etsy store: VAMountainquilts for that one. I've finished some nice applique pieces that I've put on Etsy.
When I say quilting, I mean piecing. I don't actually quilt, I send that out to a long arm quilter. I mean that I piece...........all the time. It's either paper piecing or applique. I go to my sewing class tomorrow from 10am to 12pm, can't wait for that, then lunch with an old friend. Should be fun! We both love Chinese food so that will be the fare of the day. Isn't it interesting that we look forward to a sewing class and Chinese food as the highlight of the day? How things change as we age and I'm not minding a bit!
On to the applique...............
Still unemployed but have some interesting things on the horizon. But, to the fun part, quilting A LOT! Did pretty well on Ebay this past week, of course I haven't listed in months so it will take some time for everyone to realize I'm back on again. mountaincottagequiltsandvintagetreasures if anyone wants to check it out.
I've also set up an Etsy store: VAMountainquilts for that one. I've finished some nice applique pieces that I've put on Etsy.
When I say quilting, I mean piecing. I don't actually quilt, I send that out to a long arm quilter. I mean that I piece...........all the time. It's either paper piecing or applique. I go to my sewing class tomorrow from 10am to 12pm, can't wait for that, then lunch with an old friend. Should be fun! We both love Chinese food so that will be the fare of the day. Isn't it interesting that we look forward to a sewing class and Chinese food as the highlight of the day? How things change as we age and I'm not minding a bit!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Monday, August 6, 2012
Blitzen by moda
I've been working on this for a couple of weeks. Going to put it on eBay for the Christmas season
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Porch
The porch is a southern thing. I was at a friends house tonight and she comes very close to having a perfect porch. See for yourself
Friday, August 3, 2012
Thursday, August 2, 2012
And not to be out done, here's Lucy
Lucy was very upset that I posted Blanche's picture and not hers
So here's Lucy!
So here's Lucy!
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
August 1, 2012
So just to recap, I am officially now unemployed with a nice severance package (10 weeks). But still not feeling like it's the worst thing that ever happened to me. There were 14 of us that were severenced today and I feel like I am one of the lucky ones with a little money in the bank and a nursing degree. Some of the others I feel bad for, no skills and have been there forever.
At any rate, quilting is my sanity. I posted pictures of the little top I made earlier and I added some little applique flowers around the borders. It turned out cute, I'll be listing that one on Ebay shortly. I love making the little ones, average size is 20 inches square. But they are fun! I made another one earlier tonight, it's a Halloween based and made from a charm pack from Moda, full of halloween fabrics. I'll post pics of that one tomorrow too. Most of the little tops I sell on Ebay, have to support this habit somehow! And now with no job, hey, wonder if I can sew for a living?? Can you imagine sewing tops all day? What fun that would be! Later gator................
So just to recap, I am officially now unemployed with a nice severance package (10 weeks). But still not feeling like it's the worst thing that ever happened to me. There were 14 of us that were severenced today and I feel like I am one of the lucky ones with a little money in the bank and a nursing degree. Some of the others I feel bad for, no skills and have been there forever.
At any rate, quilting is my sanity. I posted pictures of the little top I made earlier and I added some little applique flowers around the borders. It turned out cute, I'll be listing that one on Ebay shortly. I love making the little ones, average size is 20 inches square. But they are fun! I made another one earlier tonight, it's a Halloween based and made from a charm pack from Moda, full of halloween fabrics. I'll post pics of that one tomorrow too. Most of the little tops I sell on Ebay, have to support this habit somehow! And now with no job, hey, wonder if I can sew for a living?? Can you imagine sewing tops all day? What fun that would be! Later gator................
Working on today
Today Im finishing up the little Aunt Grace blocks. The appliqué pieces will be on the border. I'll post the final when it's done. I really think it will be cute!
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
So tonight I've worked on a small top for Christmas (I promise I'll post pictures soon), a top that I am making out of Blitzen by Moda. It's soooo pretty! and! a miniature top of Carol Doak paper pieced blocks. A little schizo huh? Or perhaps ADD tripping me up....in the middle I had a monster of a hot flash and had to turn on the box fan (yes, I have a/c, but sometimes it just isn't enough) and when I turned on the fan all the quilt pieces blew all over. Oh well, at least I can still bend down to pick them up, some people can't. Needless to say, I didn't finish any of them but they are progressing nicely! Tomorrow is the D Day, I shall be unemployed as of tomorrow at noon or thereabouts. Ah, life, isn't it a joy? We are somewhat excited to see what the next journey brings to us, God grant us the serenity...........Good night and God bless
July 31, 2012
Sitting at work thinking about the Christmas quilt top I'm beginning to make. Hope to list it on Ebay for the holiday season. I've made a couple of halloween tops as well. I'll try to post them this evening. The Olympics are killing me, staying up way to late and then dragging myself out of bed in the morning. Tomorrow, last day at work, the end of 13 years. So be it! Later.
Sitting at work thinking about the Christmas quilt top I'm beginning to make. Hope to list it on Ebay for the holiday season. I've made a couple of halloween tops as well. I'll try to post them this evening. The Olympics are killing me, staying up way to late and then dragging myself out of bed in the morning. Tomorrow, last day at work, the end of 13 years. So be it! Later.
Monday, July 30, 2012
July 30, 2012
Times they are a changin..........
Bob Dylan song for those of you too young to know that one. After almost 25 years in hospice, life is about to turn to another chapter. Strangely I don't find this uncomfortable, I do find those others who are turning a chapter without resources troublesome but there is no rhythm or reason to the needs of today's businesses and I hope the ones without resources have people who love them and will help them through troubling times. These times call for stoic measures, economy is bad, people out of work, and now I'm about to join them.
I discovered several years ago that we Americans have a somewhat warped way of looking at work. I don't know why it took me that long to figure it out. We put a lot of emphasis on it, worry about it constantly even when we're not there and it seems it takes over too many places in our minds. We can't let the smart phones go, can't relax and sometimes the companies or people we work for seem to demand that we give it all of our attention all the time. When all of this occurred to me, I decided it was time to change that.
I saw generations before me struggle to make ends meet and then work and work and not get anywhere. Somewhere along the line I decided that I could work hard for the company but also work to enjoy life and do the things that mattered to me too. To see children, see grandchildren born, participate in summer vacations, help with illnesses and enjoy celebrations, lots of things like that make up a person's life. I never wanted anything fancy or over the top, just the basics with a few vacations thrown in to explore new worlds and countries. That doesn't seem too complicated to seek out. So, we lived that life for a while, 20 years to be exact and we enjoyed it and hope to do it more. But it is time to change, time to challenge myself again, time to explore helping other people! After all, I'm only 58!
There is one constant in my life that sustains me (other than family and friends), something so simple and so easy, that it almost seems TOO simple.....it is a needle and thread. Simply put it's the ability to cut up perfectly good fabric and make it into something else. It is the quilt. It is the joy of a new line of fabric, it is the immediate decrease in the stress level upon walking in a fabric store. It is the smile of the ladies who work at the favorite quilt store and know me by name, not only because of the money spent there but the concern and joy of helping find the perfect fabric. They quietly put my purse behind the counter because they know I hate to carry it around and just keep the watchful eye on me as I wander through the store. It truly is a spiritual experience, truly in God's eyes, my experience.
So we will go forth to new challenges, all the way looking for the new quilt to inspire us but also looking for a desk drawer to work at with a little scrap of fabric in it that we occasionally take out to touch, to get us through the day.......
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