Lego Camp & Mayhem

It is summer vacation for the co-workers and with that brings their first camp this summer: Lego Robotics Camp at their school.

Lego has some mind blowing educational programs available that I did not even know about.  The kids build from kits and the things they build can be given movement and sounds using a computer. 

You can just guess the first sound the robot made...keep in mind it was 7-10 year old boys making them...LOL

Doesn't that just look like an absolute ball?  I learned you can build a robot that can tell what color the blocks are so it can sort them back into their bins.  I'm all for that.  I just wish someone would build one that puts dishes in the dishwasher, flushes toilets and picks up clothes and toys off the floor!

Where's the Mayhem you ask?  Let me start by saying I stopped at an Estate Sale late Saturday afternoon and everything was 1/2 off.  I saw a desk and thought it might be nice to have that desk downstairs for my sewing machine than the large table I have it on now.  The 15.00 desk has cost me hundreds of dollars of labor (my own labor and I set the fee...LOL) just to re-organize the space.  These are unedited pix....I'm warning you...if you get queezy by seeing a real mess...ya better look away now.

See...I told you it was Mayhem!!!  Scary isn't it?  Well...a bit of time and a miracle it will be put back together :)

Smiles,
Kelly

I NEED A FIX

Who knew these Flamingos would be so famous?  LOL  This photo is a bit dark because it was after 8 last evening when I snapped this shot.  Do you think I should get these folks address and all of us could send letters to the Flamingos?  It might be funny.

Saturday morning was my Machine Embroidery Guild Meeting.  Show and tell is always fun.  This is Annie's Wild Flowers Quilt.  

Embroidery Design by Smith Street Designs: Wildflowers

The first time I attended a Machine Embroidery Guild Workshop several members were working their Wildflower blocks.  I remember seeing all the beautiful batik fabrics Annie had and the beautiful blocks.  I was tickled pink to see Annie's quilt almost finished on Saturday.  Isn't it just beautiful?  

I need a ME fix.  I was using a friends Babylock Embroidery Machine .....oh talk about a wonderful Embroidery Machine.  After returning it....and I only returned it because it was far more difficult to have my house moved to an undisclosed location....now I'm in the market for a used Babylock.

I am looking to purchase a used Babylock Ellismo or Ellegante Embroidery Machine with a USB.  If you have one or know someone who may be interested in selling their machine...please e-mail me at IHaveANotion@yahoo.com

I have been watching Craigs List, E-Bay and some of the Yahoo groups.  There are a few I'm checking into further....but I thought I'd let all of my friends know just in case you all know someone.  Buying from a friend, or a friend of a friend, would be my preferance.

If I don't get my fix soon....I don't know what will happen.  I've heard things could get really ugly....the first signs of Machine Embroidery withdrawal are painful blisters...don't believe me? 

See for yourself.....and those ugly things popped up after only 2 weeks without an Embroidery Machine.

Then the skin begins to dry and peel.....and that is before.....OH NO.....This is getting really bad now!!!

Can you even begin to imagine?  I'm so scared this will happen to me if I don't find a good used machine soon....please help me avoid the evil eyes.

Smiles,
Kelly

Sunny Day Here

So sunny in fact....I needed some XL-Sunglasses!!!  ROFL

I'm proud to tell you that I only paid 25 cents for these absolutely perfect sunglasses...:)

Smiles,
Kelly

Caught up in the whirlwind

I got caught up in a whirlwind yesterday and it wasn't the whirlwind quilt block either.  But I have to say it was fun and joyful.  After assisting with the 3rd grade beach party/ breakfast yesterday, I ran home long enough to get my orders into the mail....then back to school.

Field Day is the last day of school and all the kids get to be outside playing for the afternoon at my co-workers school.  They have tons of really neat games...like:

Some of these activities and games I had not seen before....the kids were having a blast.

As you can see there was plenty of activities.....and here is where I found my youngest monkey:

This is when a Mommy's heart breaks....Zach was just too hot and he said his tummy hurt so he sought refuge in the shade.  We went indoors for a bit and that seemed to help.

Then I ran home to be there for the last photo of the school year....the boys getting off the school bus:

 I'm standing at the end of the driveway with anticipation.....

Yep....there they are....all finished with 2nd and 3rd grade....off to 3rd and 4th grade :)

As you can guess the whirlwind didn't end when they got off the bus....so now I'll tell you that indeed I did the Random Number Generator.

 Winner: Carrie P

Winner: Liz A

Winner: Josie McRazie

Congratulations ladies.  Please e-mail me your full names and addresses to IHaveANotion@yahoo.com and I'll get your prizes in the mail to you.  I don't go seeking out winners any longer.  I have found it takes too much time....so please e-mail me if you want your gift :)

Smiles,
Kelly

THANK YOU!

I love it when I ask for help and people take the time to stop and send me a note.  I appreciate all the feedback I got from this post yesterday.  This morning when I got up, I had a thought.  Yes...a thought if you can believe it :)  If there existed such a database then how would all the designers make the money from their patterns?  Hmmmmm....ya'all know I would not take a dime from any of them as I know just how difficult it is to write a pattern and many also write wonderful books as well.  So, I doubt anyone will be coming up with any databases anytime soon....and you can be sure it wouldn't be me to develop a database anyway!

To show my appreciation....I'm giving a few fun things away to those that left a comment yesterday.  This is what I'll be giving away:

This is my favorite fusible...Mistyfuse and I'm going to give away my sample package from Quilt Market of both Mistyfuse and Transdoodle. 

A charm pack from RJR fabrics, the fabric is Giselle by Marianne Elizabeth.  When the winner receives it it won't be all pretty in that neat pile since I made a fan out of it first.

And a beautiful pattern from Golden Thyme Designs, Sunset in the Sierras.  I adore Lacy Hill....she is a lovely woman and a great designer too.

Today is the last day of school for my co-workers so I've got to run back up to the school now.  When I get back I'll do some random number generating and give these fun things away.

I'll leave you some updated Flamingo pix.  Apparently with all the work they did yesterday....they are have a day off:

Smiles,
Kelly

A Better Way....

Before I share my thoughts with you....I think a Flamingo Update is in order:

When I first saw this Flamingo...I thought it was the black sheep of the family....but I was wrong.  This Flamingo can be illuminated and it glows at night :)  As you can see, Glowie Flamingo has chores to do today....

 

And Gimpie Flamingo also needs to finish some chores.....but.....

 their siblings got their work done early and they've gone fishing!

"A Better Way" 

I find myself saying there has got to be "A Better Way" frequently....and then the wheels start turning....

my old wheels start turning.  You know they can get rusty don't you?  LOL

How many times do you start a project with a specific pattern and know exactly what you want to make and then go buy just enough fabric for that project?   Honestly....I want to know from each of you that read this post....please leave me a comment telling me approximately how often that happens for you.

Here is my dilemma...  I have some fabrics that I bought for one project and then changed my mind so I have these fabrics....

My mother wants me to make her a full size quilt for her birthday present and she really likes these fabrics.  I'm tickled because I can use up this fabric.....until I remember that this was going to be a baby quilt so I'm going to need more fabric to make a full size bed quilt. 

My process:

1.  Need more fabric

2.  Search for more fabric and I'd like to expand into some of the other fabrics the designer has in this line

3.  How much more fabric will I need?   That will depend on what pattern I'm going to make.

5.  I need to find a pattern.....which in part will be dictated by the fabrics. While looking at the fabric I know I don't want to loose the focus fabric so I don't want to cut it smaller than 6" finished.      

Are you frustrated yet?  This is where the frustration sets in for me.  Now the task is to find a pattern that will finish into a full size quilt AND have 6" blocks AND will use the coordinating fabrics in a pleasing way.

 I think that is why people buy kits...like this one....

 Yep....this one comes with the pattern and all the fabric needed.  That is one solution....but many of us buy fabric before we know what we are going to make....am I right?

I don't know of a database that I can search where I can enter the size quilt I want to make and then up pops tons of choices in that size range.   I also don't know of a data base where I can say how much of each fabric I have and get a list of patterns that I could make using that amount of fabric (and if I wanted it to be larger...how much more fabric would I need).

Stick with me here.....

It is like being able to plug into a database that you have chicken, butter and three eggs....and then a recipe containing these ingredients would pop up (in my fantasy life...the database would scan recipes and spit out choices of different meals that could be made using those ingredients and highlighted in red would be the "other" ingredients you need to go and buy to complete the recipe).  

Sounds simple doesn't it?  My mind tells me an algorithm can be written so that the process can be reversed....starting from ingredients firs,t instead of completed project.  I approached the folks at Electric Quilt a few years ago at Market and shared my idea.  I hope and pray they add this to their software.  

OK, I know that I can make my own pattern....I can go into my Electric Quilt 7 software and design something....I can change other patterns to make them work with what I have....there are lots of options here...I get that.  

How many of you don't want to do all the calculations and gyrations and hope that it all works out?  Call me lazy....but I want a database that has this information in it that I can access.  Perhaps I've been spoiled by Google....I Google everything under the sun.  Google has become the wise elder in my village.  Honestly, I do feel a bit of guilt just writing this post because I know my brain can solve all these things...but aren't we all so happy to have a calculator even though we are completely capable of doing the math ourselves?

I want to know what you think....and what you do in these situations.  If you don't want to leave a comment for everyone else to read...you can e-mail me at IHaveANotion@yahoo.com   

I Have The Notion but lack the skills to get to the end result....LOL 

Smiles,

Kelly

PS....I reserve the right to see things differently once I've been enlightened by my friends  :)

Green Day

Feeling Yucky seems to be a theme around the IHAN clan.  Last Thursday, Aaron was sick and I kept him home from school.  Then on Friday, yep...you guessed it...Zach was home too.  He was complaining about his head and stomach hurtling.

I was fine until this morning....now I'm feeling green.  Typically I don't announce to the world that I'm taking a sick day...but I know my nearest and dearest friends will send e-mails and call all day wondering where I am.  I'm so thankful for loving friends :)

I"m going to turn off comments....no offense....I will just feel guilty if everyone says...feel better soon.  My little green day is really just a little green day....all will be back to normal soon :)

Greenish Tinted Smiles,
Kelly

The New Floriani Thread Storage Boxes Arrived Last Night

I was floored when I saw the UPS driver arrive after 7pm.  They typically deliver during the day.  The excitement to get those boxes open overwhelmed me.

Check these out:

Floriani 30 Spool Thread Storage Case

Here they are in all their glory....all I can say is they are the "bomb diggity"   These thread storage containers hold 30 spools (15 spools per drawer) of Floriani Thread.  The spindles on the inside of the drawers measure 3/8" wide....so you can store other brands of thread that have an opening at least 3/8". (I don't know if the folks at Floriani want me telling the world this....but hey...we all have several different brands of thread right?

 

I was tickled by how nicely they stack.  Each Thread Storage Case measures 11 1/2 inches wide, 7 3/4 inches deep and 8 1/4" tall.  

 They have nice carrying handles so you can take your thread with you when you go to classes.

The drawers have a snapping closure so they stay shut.  Way cool for me because I'm the queen of clumsy....really!

 All I can say is I'm ecstatic that the Floriani Thread Storage Cases have arrived.  I'm almost embarrassed to say I had previously had my Floriani Embroidery Threads all jumbled together in no particular order.  

Everyone who knows me knows I would not go on and on about something unless it was all that and three bags of Fritos....and the Floriani Thread Storage Cases are ALL THAT and 6 bags of Fritos...LOL.

Smiles,

Kelly

Swatch Buddies and Clam Shells....new from Spring Quilt Market

There are a few interesting things that turned up in Kansas City.  I am fortunate enough to have some friends who went to Quilt Market and have brought back some cool things to show me.  The first one is Swatch Buddies.

Swatch Buddies 24 ct or Swatch Buddies 48 ct

I'm one of those folks who needs an actual piece to match to other fabrics so I think they would be very handy.

The other thing I saw that I liked are the Clam Shells by Clover Needlecarft.

 They will come in three sizes, small, medium and large.

 Just like those change purses we had as kids....you squeeze it and it opens.  I was told that a gal had made some and put a ribbon on one end and was going to use it as a Christmas Ornament and put gift cards inside.  I really liked that idea a lot.  I can think of so many uses for these cute little Clam Shells.  Here are just a few that quickly came to mind:

• use for tooth fairy
• sewing kit
• secret treasures hidden for children
• hold lipstick in your purse
• hold jax and ball-I know you remember those things....and marbles too :)
• travel jewelry case 
• bobbin storage 
• hide your candy stash from the kids
• leave positive or love notes around the house hidden inside
• stuff a fat quarter inside and give as a gift :)
• stuff it with 100 dollar bills and send it to me...but only if you don't know what else to do with them!

You get the idea....just so many cute and fun things can be done with these Clam Shells.  Clover is always coming up with something new and interesting. 

Smiles,
Kelly