Happy Zombie

Thank you for the kind words for Mr. Zombie (I love that and think I’m going to start calling him that!). I read Mr. Z your comments last night and it made him smile. I usually don’t like sharing too much of my personal/family life online, and feel kinda weird about it… but here goes. Mr. Zombie’s incision area from his January’s knee reconstruction surgery became infected. A trip to the ER on Sunday - landed him in the hospital. A surgery on Monday (while I was still in AZ), and a second one scheduled for today. Mr. Zombie’s stats (please don’t ask me to name them) are still really low - scary low. If he continues… they will put him in the ICU. Right now at this moment they are up, and we hope they continue to stay there. Fingers crossed.

Also keeping our fingers crossed that today’s surgery does the trick. If the infection is the result of the donor bone he received in January… then docs have to go in, take it out… and start alllllllll over again. It’s been a long, long, long recovery for Mr. Z, and to do it all over again would be heartbreaking. Your good donor mojo thoughts (or better yet… *dono mojo* thoughts) are so much appreciated and we thank you so, so, so much!

Update 4/8 6pm: Good thoughts are WORKING! Mr. Z’s stats are up and close to normal. He even ate half of his dinner (and I ate the other half… and it was pretty good actually). Little things = big blessings. I’ve been reading the newly named Mr. Z your notes, and it makes us both smile and is better then any RX. And I’m totally jacked on calling him Mr. Z from now on. Hopefully by tomorrow we find out about this bone and the infection, but we’re very optimistic. THANK YOU!!! xoxo, m

Update 4/9 noonish:
We still don’t have word what the infection is (labs still running it), but docs are pretty positive the donor bone can stay. THANK GOODNESS. Mr. Z (that’s growing on him too) may get to go home tomorrow, with 6-8 weeks of home IV antibiotics and weekly visits from a home nurse. Something called a “PICC line” was just installed as an IV “port” (his peripherals, cracking myself up). Really nifty and it sure beats 6-8 weeks in the hospital! OHSU is a wonderful place… but home is always best. And I won’t have to drive so far. Though home doesn’t have a 24/7 cafeteria - oh how will I manage.

I was feeling so weird about posting such personal stuff. I’m so glad I did. The outpouring of love in the comments and emails is really wonderful. Our hearts runnith over. Especially when I know peeps who are living through stuff far, far, far worse then us - and to give us love and comfort… it’s all the more special. Worthy of super-sized 5XL large and bold font…. THANK YOU!

My bags are packed.
Liquids are in 3 oz. bottles.
The entire girl-gang has shaved their legs.
The dogs have been feed, brushed and de-pooped.
I’ve stocked up on corn-dogs, pizza rolls and Hot Pockets lovingly prepared meals for the boy-folk.

Camera… charged.
iPhone… charged.
iPod… loaded.
Flip-flops… on. (they’re always on, so that’s not a clue)
Dogs… sad.
Triskit… ready to go!

The girl-gang+Triskit is hitting the road. Or rather the skies. Where will we land?   No one knows (except Pam!).

Because I’m a 12 year old trapped in a 40mumblemumble yeat old body … and because playing hide-n-seek is my favorite game (hubby and I even play it with our dogs)… I’ve enlisted Triskit to play hide-n-seek with me. I will be iPhoning Triskit in secret locations throughout our girl-gangpalooza trip and uploading them to my flickr. First person to guess our location (or nearest to our location) by Tuesday morning (April 7th) wins a kitchy airport prezzie that I’ll pick up from there.

- Guess as many times as you want.
- One guess per comment please.
- Yes, I’m 12.
- Comment here.
- Follow the clues here.
- TAG… YOU’RE IT!

Thank GOODNESS for the random generator! Holy scrap - what a wonderful response! And almost a third of you had second chance entries. WOW… thatzalotta commenting going on! I really wish I had 400+ prizes to give, but I only have four. I’ll be stuffing the envelopes not knowing who’s going to get what… only the winners will know once they receive them.

So here they are.

Drumroll.

More drumroll.

We’ll find out right after the break (my piss poor Ryan Seacrest imitation).

And the winners are…

Huge congrats to Shnoodle,  AnyoneCanQuilt, Deb, and Cyndi!  I’ll be sending you guys an email shortly!

I’ve been wanting to show my Lecien Cosmo embroidery floss from Japan… to rave how wonderful it is. But I’ve had no place to say where to get it. Until now! The Cosmo floss is pure heaven.  Now that I’m using Cosmo - I feel like all these years I’ve been driving an old Ford Pinto (with no A/C, crank windows and only an AM radio)… and now I’m driving the BMW (an X5 to be exact) of embroidery floss thanks to Cosmo.  What Aurifil Mako is to thread - Cosmo is to floss.  A gotta have.  A must have.

I’m so excited that Joe & Roxie of ThimbleCreek are now carrying the entire Cosmo line!  Oh happy day!  You can visit their wonderful shop in Concord or contact them via phone or email.  You can find a Cosmo color chart here (aka my shopping list).

Other floss now feels like burlap… Cosmos feels like silk.

Pulling strands is a snap - and never gets jumbled up and looking like the LA freeway system.

Glides like butter through fabric.

Feels like silk… but it’s 100% cotton.

It never frays or knots up on me - and I stitch with long strands (because I’m lazy like that).

The colors are rich and vibrant.

So soft you can’t help but pet it.

Candy made from cotton.

I’m so excited about ThimbleCreek now selling Cosmo, I thought how fun it would be to have a Cosmo give-away. So I got on the horn and asked my sweet friend Nireko from Lecien if she could send me a Cosmo goodie to give-away - and she not only sent me one goodie… she sent me four. FOUR! That means FOUR WINNERS!

So here’s the deal. Leave a comment between now and 10am PST on March 26th to enter - four lucky winners will win either a 4-pack of floss (that’s 48 skeins of Cosmo!) or a darling Petit Sampler kit (which is adorable Japanese sweetness).

To sweeten the deal… sign up for Joe’s amazing newsletter and give yourself a second chance comment.  If you’re already receiving the ThimbleCreek newsletter… make a second comment as well. Be sure to say “I’m signed up” in your second comment! And if you’re thinking I’m going to win a toaster oven for getting you to sign up… I am!  Just kidding.  I love the TC news (Email Gazette), and it always makes me smile when I see it in my in-box - and I think it will make you smile too!  Cosmo will make you smile.  It will make your fingers smile.  It will make your fabric smile.

3/26/09 10:04am - Contest is now closed. Winners announced soon!

Another crazy cute block of Anne’s adorable BOM done. Mine’s been done, but I’ve been under the weather so it’s taken me a while to show it. The best part about making this month’s block - is I got to make mine with Paula as she made hers. AND SHE EVEN FEED ME, TOO! The woman can cook, can bake, can make killer margaritas, can knit, can sew, can craft… and she can share a mean cold bug! J/K Paula (I probably gave it to you)!

It seems like an eternity that I’ve had this bugger cold that’s going around (and I just got over a cold a few weeks ago!), and I have a lot of catching up to do with emails and wanting to go blog visiting (I promise not to share my cold when I visit). I’m so, so, so, so touched by all the love that’s been showered on me over the whip cream dollops - thank you all sooo, sooo, soooooo much! I may just have to add a dollop to every post I make! Gush. Blush. I heart you all and thank you so very much!

Edited in: The yummy, yummy, yummy yellow background is a Moda Basics called “Dottie” and the color is called “Butter”.

My second attempt at the Sweet Slice cake was a little naked, so I decided to make a fabric “blue plate special” plate… and then some strawberries.  All I needed were some dollops of whipped cream.

Of course, I always find myself chanting, “I just need some whipped cream”.

I scoured blogland and flickr for tutorials on how to make whipped cream out of wool felt. I found a few, but they required sewing teeny tiny stitches on pee wee pieces of felt.  I have teeny tiny pee wee patience for that.

I was looking for something quick and simple - and for a way to use some of my pearl beads (my latest obsession).

So I came up with my own version.  After many prototype go-arounds with scissors, pencil and felt… I went to my trusty ruler rack and found just the ticket.  Darlene Zimmerman’s HEXAGON ruler by EZ Quilting by Wrights.  Maybe I’m not the only one who’s inner voice (or voices) keeps chanting, “I just need some whipped cream”?  Super easy, super fast, super not fussy.

1.  Ruler, wool felt.
2.  Cut into hexagon of desired size.
3.  Snip from points to about ⅓ of the way from the center to make little “pies”.  Just eyeball.  Inconsistency adds character.
4.  Trim each pie as shown.
5.  Result is one of those ninja flying disc looking things.  But not as sharp.  Or as deadly.

6. With matching thread (I used red for visual effect), pull a stitch through the sharp corner of each “pie”. Continue.
7. End where you started, and through the other side.
8. Tug/gather. Gently.  You now have a dollop.  Sort of.

9. Make a few tacking stitches.
10. Make a knot on the bottom of your dollop, but do not cut your thread.
11. Enter off center. Add pearl bead. Exit off center. Knot off on the bottom.

Sew/tack into place on what ever you’re going to dollop with whipped cream.

And now I must think about tonight’s dinner… and I think I know just what to have - and where to get it at!

I recently posted a new quilt project at the Moda Bake Shop using Turnovers (little triangle packs of Modagoodness), and as fun as it was to make, I have just as much fun naming my quilts. It’s like naming a new puppy… but my quilt isn’t gonna leave me surprises on my carpet or chew on my socks. I thought my blocks looked like waffles, so my first thought was “Waffle Stompers”, but thought that might reveal that I went to high school in the 70’s.  I guess I just revealed that.  Belgian Waffles it is!
I loved the Chez Moi Swanky Turnovers I used. I love saying “swanky”. Even in WayneGarthlish… Schhhhha-wanky. My dark north coast Oregon days make for horrible photographs, and my photo doesn’t do this yummy fabric justice. The colors and patterns are so crisp and fun. It reminds me of my sweetest of sweetiepie friend Kathleen… her colors and the Parisian/Asian vibe that she has. If you look at Kathleen’s blog, artwork and flickr - I think you will agree!

More Moda love…
- Pam is celebrating her Moda Bake Shop quilt project (weepy cute… you’ll be wanting to make it the minute you see it) with a sweet Moda Bake Shop giveaway.
- Lissa is celebrating wonderful links and quilty goodness - and a sweet giveaway she made and a bookazine.
- Vanessa is celebrating her adorable Moda Bake Shop honeybuns rug (ohmygosh I so have to make one) with a Sweet & Swanky giveaway.
I can’t help but say… schhhhha-wanky good fun!

I’m so excited… the current issue of Quilts & More (Spring 2009) is hitting the newstands! Inside this issue is my little mushroom needlebook project and pattern. So fast, so fun, and I’m so thrilled Q&M wanted to publish it, and just as giddy because my project is in my favorite color combo…  Red. White. Aqua. Mmmm. I couldn’t be happier how it all turned out and what a beautiful job (as always) the good peeps at Meredith did with it!

Cover-girl alert!  Look, look, it’s Roseann! Roseann’s beautiful “no diamonds to sew” quilt is definitely on my to-do list, and looks like it would be a fun quilt to make at a retreat (I’m having retreat withdrawls… I need one.  Bad!). Also on my to-do On my done-list, because I couldn’t stand just looking at the photos and not making one fast enough - is the ADORABLE “Sweet Slice” cake pattern by Cindy Taylor Oats.  DAR.  LING!


I was so excited to make it, that I took a short-cut (that I SHOULDN’T have), and didn’t use fusible interfacing as directed.  Bad me, because my cake got a little lumpy, saggy and out of shape (but I still love it).   Note to self: add fusible interfacing to my entire wardrobe.

More magazine love… my teenie tiny little studio is being featured in Cloth Paper Scissors STUDIOS (Spring 2009)! Holy scrap, my head is sure to snap off when I see it. I couldn’t be more honored and flattered to be in the issue, especially since my goofy little Happy Zombie Hideaway will be amongst the great studios of Melissa and Betz! And speaking of cover-girls… that’s Melissa’s studio on the cover!

From the super wonderful STUDIOS editor Cate - The Spring issues of Cloth Paper Scissors Studios is now available for pre-order. It will be available on select newsstands March 31. If you’d like to pre-order a copy, you can do so here.

A little behind the scenes about getting my studio ready.  Sure, it was one thing to get my studio cleaned up and lookin’ pretty, as well as cooperation from the weather (Oregon = dark days)… but the biggest task was getting ME all cleaned up!  Super-Cate wanted a photo of me.  OF ME???   Ugh. Ugh again.  I don’t do pics of me, so I wanted to submit these:
Me… Simpsonized.
A no-go.

Me ala Juniper Creek (when I was deciding what to wear at PDX quilt market).
A no-go.

I even sent pics of the real me… in a hoodie, Hurley hair and no make-up.
A no-go.
So I did my parents proud… I foof’d my hair, foof’d my face with mascara and lip-gloss, and I even donned a blouse (with buttons and everything!).  So if you see the issue, know that a lot of time, effort and elbow grease went into jazzing things up.  My studio was a piece of cake.

And speaking of studios… THIS is my version of heaven.

ZOMBIES IN AREA! RUN! I love this. Ok, take out the part that it was an illegal act, and possibly a traffic hazard… I love it!  Love.  It.

In other zombie news… have you seen Fido?  My new fave movie… right up there with The Goonies and Shaun of the Dead (it’s for the greater good).   Fido has everything I love… obscurity, super saturated color, campy retro charm, witty humor and of course… zombies.  I love the fictional ZomCon company (Zombie-Containment), which tells us “A better life through containment” and  “Be Happy - Be Scared“.  Pam has grabbed the former as her motto, and I the latter as my motto (which I think is the icing on the Happy Zombie cake).

In other warnings.  If someone tells you, pssst… pssst… hey little girl, wanna come play at Facebook?  Do not walk in the opposite direction.  Run.  RUN for your life.  Facebook is an evil plot to take over every minute of your spare time.  DO NOT FALL FOR IT.  Oh sure, your friends will tell you it helps keep up communication in place of email (I’m a sucky email-replier), and your friends will tell you it’s like a “2 minute blog”, and then you have a friend who joins - and even though you email, text and talk on the phone with her… you’ll want to know 24/7 what she is doing right now.  Before you know it, you will be a Facebook zombie and you’ll be forming all of your sentences in third person… “[your name here] is“.  You’ll have friends who play fun little google games, and you and your friends will get sucked into that too. Like this game:

UNFORTUNATELY: Google “unfortunately, your name”, including the quotes, and ta-dah… instant laughs.

- Unfortunately, Monica lost her voice and had to retrain her vocal talent.
- Unfortunately, Monica screws up and the stripper turns out to be a hooker.
- Unfortunately Monica hasn’t been convicted of anything (yet — she IS under investigation)
- Unfortunately, Monica’s dress turned out to have a bit of DNA on it.
- Unfortunately, Monica wakes up while David is standing over her with a pair of scissors.
- Unfortunately, Monica has committed another out-of-context faux pas
- Unfortunately Monica can’t act.
- Unfortunately Monica is blonde (for the most part) and comes with a thick Italian accent.
- Unfortunately Monica fails to heed Miss Cotton’s sage words and is attacked by some of the women in the village
- Unfortunately Monica had fallen into a vicious circle of drugs and prostitution

You.  Have.  Been.  Warned.

Instant gratification.  From the first cut to the finishing knot on my binding - in less then four hours I was done. And that includes intermittent times I dorked around on Facebook. I guess now would be a good time to mention that this quilt only measures 18” x 22”. Small enough that I can quilt it after I’ve bound it.

I was working on stuff and decided I needed some play time… letting someone else do the driving while I putz around in the passenger seat. Lori Smith’s From My Heart to Your Hands little fat quarter patterns are just the most perfect, the most darling and the most fun little patterns. I did mod mine (from pattern #1505) just a tad - I added an inner border and made the outer border wider.

Last weekend when I sewed with my friends at Momma Made It, Sharon (the owner) had this quilt/pattern on display,  and I knew I had to make one.  So while at Momma Made It, I stocked up on quarter yards cuts and fat quarters of Civil Warhishy (War-ishy?) fabrics… and $40 worth of fabric later… I have a quilt the size of a fat quarter.  WTF?  How did I manage that?  Oh well… I guess I’ve got lots of leftovers to make more.  Good thing I have a stockpile of Lori Smith’s patterns!