HELP UPDATED

I'm lost.  I've made all these squares now and cut out a few more nine patch strips but it just looks 'nothing'.  this is the third attempt at a quilt for my colleagues wife.  I wish I hadn't said anything now because I feel obligated to finish one.  I have no confidence putting quilts together SHOULD STICK TO A PATTERN grrr!  I thought I could make one out of my stash but two attempts diden't work.  This one has cost me heaps..

ANY IDEAS HOW TO MAKE IT ZING!! 

A fancy border maybe like this one

I have never found it easy to put things together but right now my all round confidence is at an alltime low so another flop is not a good thing!  HELP PLEASE

Decisions, choices, options...Those words delineate freedom and control over various aspects of life. They also strike fear into the heart, mostly because of the chance that your choice will be WRONG! But not making a choice is itself a choice with a full spectrum of consequences. You can't not choose, so choose wisely. Don't worry about making a mistake - that just gives you the opportunity to learn something you didn't know before.

When you have to make a choice and don't make it, that is in itself a choice.

- written by William James

So what do you do when you're stuck.. Start another one!!  Eek.  I decided I had to achieve something so I started on a kit that I bought last year.  It was rectangles but I've cut them into squares and maybe I'll do the dissapearing nine-patch.  I'm not sure about the sashes and the border fabric together though.  I'm also thinking I could make this a quilt as you go... so I will finish it. 

Back to the autumn quilt problem.  I'm thinking maybe I just need a thin border, in red as Chris H suggests, and then more of the autumn fabric ... but am open to any suggestions from my expert friends amongst the Quilting bloggers. 

End of day.  I have had my down times again but not as often today.  Maybe the Remeferin tablets are working (it's a natural menopause relief tablet that women who've had breast cancer CAN take.. yay).  Mind you, my PN doctor told me I couldn't take ANYTHING.   Well I don't have a Dr at the moment and I just want to feel on top of things so don't give a stuff really.. hehehe. 

I hope I feel even better tomorrow at work... a four lettered word..

So many people but...

My neighbours are away at the moment so everything is very quiet.  And I just realised how lonely it is sometimes down here in the big smoke.  I have to get out and meet more people ... hmmm get another interest but what??

My blogging friends keep me entertained and give me inspiration... (thought I lack the motivation) haha.. Have a look at this

Have a look at Exuberant Colour blog.  Wanda has some amazing quilts made from even the tiniest scraps.  And this one.. WOW.  I wish I'd keep all my thin scraps now.  but I do keep my batik ones.. Maybe I can put them together like this..  I hope Wanda won't mind me putting this picture in my blog. 

Well, off to bed.  I am going to wake up tomorrow feeling bright and positive and achieve something..

Mental Health Day - where is my head??

Damn, I deleted my previous entry for today because it was so.. woe is me....but noticed that I had two comments from Nanci and an anonymous blogger.  And of course the comments have dissapeared. .  Sorry to you both and thank you for your comments.  I am enjoying (is that the word).. my mental health day!!.  I'm trying not to think about work and restructuring and instead I'm appreciating the peace and quiet and doing stuff that makes me happy!  I bought the 'jump off the rack at me" fabric to make this quilt (Version 5) haha and have cut out simple blocks .. so now will sew them together.  I will take a photo later and post it. 


Nanci, I need to know more about your low carb diet.. is this a book or a programme you go too??  Maybe we can share progress... and ideas if you're interested. 


Anonymous.. please get your blog up and going and add me!!  Haha..


Okay back to my sewing room and Catherine Cookson movies...

So this is what's kept me busy today.  I saw the leafy fabric in the shop and it said.. Bush.. bright and cheery.. I had tried to make a native bush quilt with the birds and blues but it just didn't work.. another UFO!!

I have just laid it on the design wall as I've made the blocks so still need to arrange them yet.  I was going to put blocks on one side and a tree on the other with apples on it in matching colours (the recipient was a teacher) ... similar to this one I found on net but with apples

I thought of doing a flying geese border in two corners?? 

Just have to get it down soon.  I still have my challenge to do.  What a waste of time feeling sorry for myself.. I could have been sewing all weekend. 

Finally sneak over to http://jandiinstitches.blogspot.com and enter in Jandi's giveaway.  She's just started her blog on blogspot.. and her page is amazing.  I wish there was a class on 'How to do up your blog page".  I've looked but the language frightens me!!!

Books

Believe it or not, I've also been reading over the last two weeks.. unusual for me.  I can't remember the last book I read.  My friend Lisa suggested I read "When I found you" by Catherine Ryan Hyde... It's about a baby that's left in the woods at 2 days old, a guy out duck shooting finds the baby and so on and so on.  But I love books like that... very realistic .. I was dissapointed when it ended.. I felt like I knew the kid and wanted to know if he lived happily ever after!!!

Then I read "Betrayed - Escape from Iraq" by Latifa Ally and Richard Shears.. about a girl who is trapped in Iraq after living in Australia for most of her childhood.  A totally different way of life.. again I couldn't put it down.

I wonder if this is why my eye won't stop twitching.  It's becoming a real nuisance.  

Been to the Libary today and got another book so I'm off to bed.. hmmm So much for my early night ... It's  10.30pm. Goodnight all.

The eyes have it!@

Since taking my Mum back to her home last weekend I've had terrible 'hayfever' type symptoms.. It was very windy but the house was also dusty after being shut up for 7 weeks while she recovered from a broken leg at my sisters. 

My eyes have been very sore and tired, more than the normal strain from looking at the computer all day and 'twitching'... It's a weird feeling, I'm sure others have it too.. I'm told others can't see it twitching but it is annoying.

I've made an appointment at the optician next week to see if having separate glasses for computer and reading would alleviate the eye strain.  I have progressive lenses at the moment. 

The weather is lovely today.  I've been next door to find out where and what about the two cute pussy's Tommy and Muzzy I'm looking after for the next ten days.  They were very affectionate to me tonight.. I think they must know Mum and Dad are going away. haha. I need to catch up on housework, library, a haircut and make progress on my sewing... will help me keep busy and stop worrying about the latest restructuring that could affect my job.. they call it reshuffle now... but "affected people will be notified"... so what's the diff! 

Well off to bed .. maybe an earlier night will help too. 

Life without a computer

What have I been doing over the last two weeks... well still procrastinating.. but here's some pics of quilts I've seen over the last few weeks at the Capital Quilters Club meeting and at Sawmillers quiltery annual show.  Look at this amazing Kaleidoscope Quilt.  I have the book about making these quilts, I have fabrics, I have the ruler and the mirrors... .. this is fabulous... See if you can get a close up and see what the fabric is....

Heres a really neat Kiwi quilt... Amazing layout. 

This quilt was designed by a guy... I think.  I'm sure its an Australian Patchwork & Quilting magazine pattern.

I love this one.  Look closely.  A simple 9 patch and a four patch with corner thingees. 

And here's the fabric that the Kaleidoscope quilt was made from.  This is the back.  Isn't it amazing.

My friend Lisa's Quilt hanging at the outdoor show at Sawmillers Quiltery

What am I doing??  Playing.. I want to make a quilt/wallhanging for the wife of one of my colleagues who has fought so hard against cancer over the last two years.  They love tramping so I'm thinking.. things you find in NZ bush plus a few 'windows' of light or dark and a big tree with 6 birds.  No time to waste so I need to sew all weekend.

Lastly, my new hard drive.  Believe it or not, my old one was underneath the printer and was nearly the same size as it too.  this one is so quiet I don't feel guilty at all.   I need to take the plastic off it haha. 

My new toy is up and running

I'm back!!!  My new pc is up and running as of last night.  Darling bil bought a hard drive (I didn't want a laptop) and its so small compared to my last old dunger but with twice as much memory etc etc.  I'm up an hour earlier this morning to play!!!! 

Message to Nanci's friend.  thank you for offering to figure out that pattern for me.  I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

Now, I lost everything in my old computer except what I backed up on memory stick... photos etc and I've lost email addresses.  So if you and I email each other sometimes please send me an email so I can add you to my address book.  You will know my address.

Now I'm going to catch up on my favourite blogs and I'll be back sometime this week with all my news.