Drowning in Hobbies

Next!

2010-07-26T20:55:00.006-05:00

Well, the bridal shower is over. It was good, but I'm glad it's done now and exists as some good memories. I'll finally post some of the stuff I made for it though - lots of sewing involved!

I made coin purses as party favors and filled them with little bags of mints. One thing is for sure - I have no plans of making 23 coin purses in a week in the near future. The fabric was various satins that were given to me by a lady in the quilt group I attend in the summer. Each rectangle was finished with free motion quilting before the Velcro was added and the sides stitched up. I can't take credit for the pattern - I found it courtesy of an online pdf put out by Valerie Custom Quilting. Great instructions...highly recommended!

My other project was a purse for the bride. I've been wanting to make a purse for a long time and have had some decorator fabric (also courtesy of another quilt group lady!) that's been sitting in my room. I looked through them and found some pieces that looked like they'd fit the bride's personality well. It turned out great and I can't wait to make some other purses! Neither can some other people considering my mom kept giving me hints that she really liked this particular purse. Not the best picture, since like most of my projects, this was finished in the middle of the night. But you get to see fabric that I liked the best.

I guess the only other thing in the last week that's been exciting has been this dinner I made - spinach and artichoke salad with couscous cakes. It was good. From a magazine, but still amazing that I could make the cakes without them falling apart completely!

Looks good...especially with the U.S. Presidents placement, right?

2010-07-23T00:46:00.002-05:00

I started my first hand quilting project today with much help and encouragement from one of my most favorite people. The basic design is a traditional sunflower in the middle surrounded by some intersecting circles. I'm not sure if it will be a wall hanging or the top of a pillow covering (or a draw liner if its really bad...). But here are a few things I learned very quickly:
1. it is impossible to thread a needle while someone (however kind they may be) is watching you
2. there is quite a difference between low and high quality thimbles
3. hand quilting when you unknowingly used a cotton-poly blend is enraging
4. batting you love on your sewing machine may betray you when hand stitching
It seems that most people are either one or the other - machine or hand quilters. They may occasionally venture into the other area, but often turn back. Though my fingers are raw from yanking my unwilling needle out of my poorly chosen fabric, I will finish quilting it. And I will hand quilt another project! But I do like the speed of the machine quilting.
After tomorrow my sewing machine will be taking a break by living in the basement for a while. Actually, it may go see a doctor since my free motion quilting hasn't been going too well. No matter what I do to the tension, the bobbin thread is tight and the top thread is getting pulled through the back on even slight curves. At least I'll have my hand quilting.

Bridal Shower prep

2010-07-17T20:55:00.002-05:00

All current projects are currently on hold. This week is devoted to the cleaning of the premises, finalizing of food lists and decoration planning, among other things. My current issue is really the cleaning since areas like the kitchen need to be cleaned every day and I'm kind of the dishes person. We were going to clean off the deck and patio, however severe thunderstorms and tornadoes has delayed that.
I can't post most of the stuff I'm doing since they are surprises for the bride who quite possibly will read this before Saturday. If I figure out a menu that is impressive and still doable, then I'll post it :-). Happy cleaning...

Pictures!

2010-07-01T20:07:00.006-05:00

Well, I finally got the pictures off my phone. There was a good amount on there too...400 or so. Here's a picture of the landscape quilt I made a couple weeks ago. The only problem with it (besides my horrendous job of binding it) is that now I want to make a set...you know with a night and day time scene to match.

I only used three fabrics for this - most of the color change is actually netting I found in a Walmart remnant bin. I have burgundy, pink and yellow netting placed according to the colors in the 'sun' fabric and then used some variegated and bright threads to highlight the water. I wouldn't recommend the little strips that I did for the water reflection though - I ended up with a strange arch shape that I had to block. Must have been pulling on the fabric....whoops.

In other news, I have been quite experimental in my cooking. Not really, but it's experimental for me and probably downright weird for my family. Like...I made a poached egg. Totally weird, since we only do the hard-boiled or scrambled kind. Kind of a kid menu treatment of eggs. I was really proud of it though since it actually worked and didn't spread all over the pan. I made a fried egg too, but it was kind of ugly so no picture. Hehe.

Long week...

2010-06-16T21:58:00.002-05:00

I think I've finally gotten all my stuff from my school residence back to the good ole parental base. Very crazy (and much to my father's dismay, messy). I look forward to the weeks ahead of me which will be full of sorting, repacking, resorting, unpacking and more repacking. Actually, no, I really don't look forward to that at all.

summer!

2010-06-09T14:05:00.001-05:00

Well, summer is back and perhaps I will update this silly blog page now. My schedule for a typical summer day right now is as follows: breakfast, practice piano, double check dinner supplies, sort through accumulated belongings from college, lunch, email, practice clarinet, more sorting, dinner, collapse like a zombie.
I'm afraid my dinner ambitions will wear off too fast, but I hope not. Last night I made penne rosa and it was good. (When I find the website again, I'll post a link!) Tonight will be enchiladas with a refried bean/salsa dip. So that means I still have to go to the store to get chips yet...I think I'll pick up frozen strawberries for some...adult drinks. After going through my closet, I'll need it!

March comes in like a lion...

2010-03-07T19:21:00.002-06:00

Made it to March! What a relief, but still three months to go. I'm finally hearing from grad schools and I'm going somewhere! I just have to decide where to go once I hear from all of the schools. How am I supposed to concentrate when I'm always daydreaming of my own apartment....perhaps in Florida? Kind of distracting at the end of winter in Wisconsin.
Student teaching has been fluctuating a lot - I'll have a really great day followed by the worst class ever. Random side note - just watched a fairly rotten performance to open the Academy Awards. I don't know who that guy was, but he shouldn't have sung. And Christopher Plummer is really old.
Okay, more later. I'm too distracted now.

Weekend

2010-02-19T17:50:00.002-06:00

What a long week. Even aside from the crazy crap that has been going on in the house, life is busy. I had my first parent-teacher conference this week. Whoo. Fun, cause I couldn't say much about the people who came so I just looked like idiot. Oh well.
I've started a different blog for the students in the high school band. Not sure many of them actually look at it, but you never know what might happen. Still have... three and a half months? Yeah, there's some time. www.bandroom2010.wordpress.com
I think I might be able to sew something this weekend! I'm really excited about the idea. Hope I don't end up too tired to do anything. I need to figure out something to make for my coop teacher too. She's been wonderful and I think it would be fun to give a homemade gift (because those are, of course, the best!) I'm thinking a quilted wall hanging, though my mom suggested a table runner. I'm open for ideas I guess.
Should probably finish the scarf for one of my professors first though. Or at least before all the snow melts!

Waiting

2010-02-12T18:08:00.002-06:00

So here I sit at the high school waiting for pep band. Been here since 7:25am. School stuff was over a little before 4pm. Unfortunately I just can't justify the gas that would be spent for me to drive home and then back for the game later. An hour round trip to be home for a little over an hour? Nope. On a brighter note, I just discovered that I remembered to put mustard on my ham sandwich that I packed this morning. Ahh, the little things.
If anyone ever asks you to play the accompaniment to Goedicke's Concert Etude for trumpet with about 2 weeks of notice, think really hard about accepting. Goodness is there a lot of notes. And of course they are in octaves.
I was going to go to a class on paper piecing techniques in quilting with my mom tomorrow but I guess it's been cancelled. I must have been really needing it because I am overly sad about the cancellation. So I guess another weekend will go by without sewing. Perhaps I will knit...but it's not the same. Okay...got to finish the sandwich and get ready for some pep band!

Craziness is teaching

2010-02-11T21:33:00.002-06:00

I've finally had so much real job stuff that I haven't had time for any hobbies of any kind. Not good for my health, but alas it must be done. I'm counting the weeks, days, no- hours until I move somewhere that isn't a rental house by my undergrad school. It will be amazing. I have it all planned out from my desk to my kitchen cabinets.
One good thing I have been able to do, even if it hasn't been much, is read. And the more I think about some of the stuff I've been reading, the more I know that I am a person that wants to create things for the sake of enjoying being productive in my own way. I cannot live to please other people and I refuse to live to serve other people's whims. I will teach music because it is important but I know that my students may or may not agree with that idea. I will live with people that have different standards than mine but will not give up my own standards. My thoughts need to be given to things that I value and not what other people may think or value that is different. This isn't the same as being racist, prejudiced, etc... It is living your own life. How many of us really do that?
I was excited to go to a sewing class this weekend, but found out tonight that it is cancelled. Grrr. I was looking forward to it since, as I mentioned, I have been doing nothing besides teaching stuff and preparing meals.
On a better note, I started playing the Mozart Concerto for Clarinet with the university orchestra. What an amazing experience after only playing with a pianist. And I've played with some awesome pianists. Now if I could just find some creative craft time to fit into teaching and practicing...

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T23:09:00.001-06:00

Bring it on 2010.

Nice try

2009-12-28T17:35:00.003-06:00

I'm getting to some of my goals. I have practiced once today - scales and etudes on the Bb. I think I'll do another session after dinner on the A which will be solos and orchestral excerpts. I should probably review some of the scales again. I went through them all today and marked off the ones I really need to focus on. Unfortunately that list is longer than the ones I know. Some of them I'm truly dreadful at - like Dd minor. And my reeds are not very happy. Have to get some new ones tomorrow if this auditioning thing is going to work out.
I did finally get to finish a sewing project! These coasters are for one of my great friends who didn't know what a paisley was this summer. Now she knows. I had technical difficulties with the iron though. Did you know that if you accidentally drop a hot iron on generic carpeting that the carpet will melt? Yeah, I'm hoping my parents don't notice that one. It came off the iron though, which was my big concern.
Anyway, the coaster pattern is really easy and super cute. I saw them a few times at different quilting meetings but have never made them before. I got the directions at http://vtmountaingal.blogspot.com/2008/01/4-patch-folded-coasters-tutorial.html. They are easy to follow and there's great pictures to help.
Now that I've done something productive for a while, I think I'll play sims...

Goals for now

2009-12-27T23:52:00.001-06:00

1. I will not continuously eat Dove chocolate.
2. I will not play Sims all day
3. I will practice scales, etudes, and solos every day until January 30th.
4. I will work on projects that are overdue gifts for friends and family.
5. I will at least begin the process of de-cluttering my childhood bedroom.
These seem simple, but it will be a lot to accomplish. Not to mention all the little things on my to-do lists - mailing bills, writing letters, cleaning out my email, forcing myself to go to the gym... Get an oil change, almost forgot that one. So much for the concept of a 'break.'

Holiday...isn't that a gas station?

2009-12-27T00:31:00.004-06:00

Day after Christmas and all through the house, not a creature is stirring - except the NXT robot and the cat that's high on cat nip. I'm finally really feeling that my parent's house is REALLY not my my house anymore. I love them dearly but I can't function in the house as an adult. It's weird thinking of yourself as a guest in the house that was 'yours' in a sense. How does that happen?

Grad school auditions start in 12 days. Do I know my scales? Have I practiced? Naaaaww. Why Would I do that? I could just kill myself...this is several days without practicing. Stupid stupid stupid. Next phase of life is depending on my performance on my ability on this piece of wood and I barely touch it. Clearly I will need to keep a more strict schedule from now on. I'm finding that I can't wait to go to school somewhere. (so I better practice, right?) Not just for the music stuff, I mean, to go live somewhere. An apartment. Out of state. All mine. Whoooo!

I got a pretty awesome set of knives and strainers for Christmas (thinks!). Just thinking of my own kitchen is exciting.

I have been able to do some cooking, which is good. For the most part, cooking tends to be relaxing. Unless there is also baking involved, in which you unknowingly use butter substitute on a recipe that really doesn't work without real butter. Oops. I did make baked potato soup and some really amazing artichoke dip (inspired by one of my favorite English-ed friends!) I get made fun of because I use my computer as a travelling recipe book, but whatever. Who else has a recipe book that also plays Christmas music and Youtube videos?

I realized that, like always, I packed way more stuff to do than is actually necessary. Why do I have to be the weird college student that comes home with instruments, knitting, laundry, and a sewing machine? I have to make sure that I use the sewing machine. At least it will justify bringing it.

Merry Christmas! And let no one suffer from boredom!

craziness

2009-11-02T16:29:00.001-06:00

So I'm on orchestra tour right now. Just got back from a state music conference. Basically no time at home except for Saturday in which I feverishly prepared my Halloween costume, which I will hopefully get a picture of sometime. Two weeks until my recital!

shame

2009-09-12T20:36:00.001-05:00

I indulged in yet more fabric today...and still haven't done anything with the stuff I already have. Oops. Been getting back into my music stuff though which is good. Lots of clarinet and band. Trying something called organization this year. It's getting in the way of my procrastination though.

chicken!

2009-09-06T17:04:00.001-05:00

I am currently roasting a chicken. I've never done it before...so I'm hoping it's edible. The recipe called for white wine, garlic, thyme, and lime wedges. Sounds sophisticated, right?

last weekend before the end...

2009-08-30T14:04:00.002-05:00

I did nothing yesterday. Played some sims and made dinner, but nothing else. I have so much stuff I could be doing too. Three pairs of pants left as of now...probably should do those today at least. I have been reading my books for class this week. Yes, I should have read them earlier in the summer - especially funny since one of them was a 7 Habits book hehe.
I'm president of an organization on campus and I'd like to get that moving this year, which will require less procrastination and more organization. It's hard to try to fit everything in the last year in school - there's so much I'd like to get done while still doing well in class and of course, still finding time to sleep. Yeah right :-).

more fabric

2009-08-27T16:47:00.002-05:00

So my sister wanted to get some fabric to cover a pillow. Too bad everything at the fabric store was 50% off! So needless to say, even she left with a lot more than she planned on getting. And I must be really dumb, because I was thinking that I'd just go along, maybe get a fat quarter or something. Now I have everything to make a really nice vest. Not planned, but okay...a vest is good teacher clothing, right?
Plus I did get the fat quarter, of course, to make some stuff for one of my good friends in Chicago. Can't remember if I gave her this site or not, so I won't say what it is or post any pictures until she has it.
Still need to get going on the table runner for my mom. I'm pretty excited actually, because the small size will be perfect to try out some more decorative quilting. I managed to get some really nice sulky thread for it too - I said I'd have it done by the 15th. A few more band pants to go though....

moved in

2009-08-26T20:55:00.004-05:00

Been at the house at school for a few days now. Still a little cluttered with boxes and stuff, but hopefully that will get better soon. Just spent who knows how many hours hemming the marching band's pants. Yuck...I couldn't believe some of the stuff that I found in and on those pants. Or to put it this way, I only believed it because it was in my lap.
I may be getting more pants, but I'm happily thinking of my other projects. I really hope that I get some time on them even though this semester is probably going to be crazy. Taking a break from the sewing machine for now... it's probably as tired of those pants as I am :-).

Long time

2009-08-21T21:09:00.001-05:00

Whoa, I've been neglecting this blog thing. I won't though. Now that I've charged my camera and can actually transfer things, I'll post some ofthe quilts I'm doing and stuff. I had a recital, yay, which proved that I can still play my instrument even on summer break. Lots of sewing to do now - hopefully school won't get in the way.

Random everything

2009-07-20T20:26:00.003-05:00

I was a Kmart yesterday. Amazing sale until a cast iron grill came down on my foot. Also amazing is the fact that I wouldn't mind owning cast iron cooking gear even after the grill bruised and probably broke my toe. The best part of it all is that I had to hobble around at camp today with the one mummified toe sticking out of my illegal sandals (we're forbidden to wear sandals as counselors except beach day). I wasn't caught on the sandals at least.
I started quilting my Egypt inspired quilt. It's going alright except for the vast inconsistencies that still exist in my free motion quilting. Oh well. My marking pencils evidently decided that they don't work on the fabric. Time to invest in some better materials; too bad I'm broke. I'll put a picture up when my camera battery gets charged. I'll remember to do that eventually.
Never go to a fabric store to "just look." It's a horrible trap! You get sucked into piles of fabric that attach themselves to you and drain you of all monetary earnings.
Back to cleaning my room. The toe issue has forced me to rediscover the floor in the bedroom - at least some good came of it.

2009-07-15T11:07:00.002-05:00

So, I'm cleaning for another party. Quilt group actually..hehe. I was the youngest by about 30 years last time I went, but man those ladies are fun. Unfortunately I won't have much to show except dinner and a somewhat clutter free zone. On the bright side I may be getting some clarinet lessons with the principal of a major orchestra. So I better add practicing to my to-do list...

life got crazy

2009-06-22T10:09:00.003-05:00

The last week was just insane. I didn't turn on my computer once. The grad party is over, camp training is over and hopefully I'll get back into a regular schedule now. I was thrown when asked Wednesday if I would play organ for the Sunday church service. Having never played the full Sunday service or the organ it was quite the whirlwind of nerves and practicing the past few days. I'm behind on so many calls and emails it's ridiculous. So I guess I'll work on catching up in the next few days if camp doesn't do me in! I have at least four more quilts awaiting my attention as well. There just isn't enough time in the day.

2009-06-12T16:19:00.002-05:00

Well the family is gone now. Now I'm going into full party planner mode. Minus the time I'm taking the praxis music test tomorrow. Yuck...I thought I was done with standardized test stuff after high school. Amazingly I finished the quilt! I have tons of others to do, but I may take a break for a week or two...:-)

Cranky

2009-06-05T14:07:00.002-05:00

I don't know how I'm going to keep sewing on this. I really want to but at the same time I really don't. Then I get mad because I want to do it in my head but I just can't seem to make my body agree with my mind. Plus everyone else here seems crabby which influences me to join in the crabbiness. We are having relatives stay here in a few days and a party later next week so I think the intense cranky 'we need to clean' mode has finally set in. It's been threatening all week. No more living with parents after this year - I love them but it is stressful living in someone's house after you have lived on your own.
Whatever I'm doing for the rest of the day, I'm in for a long haul. Quilting all-nighter in the near future...

Tired and out of time

2009-06-04T13:48:00.002-05:00

I had one of those nights in which you don't sleep for millions of random reasons. So I've been up today and have accomplished very little besides staying awake. I'm making a quilt for my sister's graduation present and it has to be done by Sunday - two and half days. I've been quilting it, but for some reason I just can't get much done. I quilt a block and then I sit and stare for a while - a habit which normally only pops up during writing papers.
For those of you who quilt, I will now express my joy of quilting in a tiny space on the desk in front of my computer. It STINKS. Plus the quilt keeps getting stuck in the little hole where you drop the tower down and then pulls stuff off the side of the desk when I have to turn it. I also particularly love shoving the entire quilt through the tiny opening in the machine. I'm probably going to break a needle today.
Pictures will be up as soon as my sister actually gets the quilt (It's a surprise design - she just knows there's a quilt). I hope I can wake up enough to actually work on it.

Hello!

2009-06-03T23:12:00.001-05:00

So this is my first blog... pretty exciting. I need to figure out how this works and upload some stuff in between sewing sessions. Or rather, quilting sessions which can be infinitely more tedious. Probably should fit some clarinet time in there too as I have fallen sadly behind in that area. Can't wait to add this to my list of hobbies...