Mythology

I have recently come to a realization.  I really enjoy mythology.  Particularly Greek mythology.  I took a course when I went to the U many years ago and it was one of my favorite classes.  My mom lent me the first 3 of the Percy Jackson series earlier this year, after I watched the movie, and I read them in just a few days.  Then I got the last 2 in the series and read them just as quickly.  I was so sad when the series ended, because I wanted to read more. 

This is what I'm asking for for Christmas, although I am pretty sure I won't get it. 


I'm currently watching Clash of the Titans (the new one, not the old one) and thoroughly enjoying it :) 

I also can't wait to pick up the newest Rick Riordan book  I so want to get it on my Nook, but I have to wait until our next pay period.


I am also seriously wanting a book with just the Greek myths.  You know: the Titans, and how Zeus took them over.  Maybe the stories of Perseus and Jason and Theseus and all of the Greek Heroes.  I don't want anything too textbook-y.  I really would prefer something more story-ish.  Does that even make sense?  My mom lent me her copy of Mythology  but I found it too textbook-y for my liking.  So, what I am in need of are some suggestions of books that might fit my Mythology-loving needs.

The Shopping Fairy

Look what the awesome Shopping Fairy brought me!!
I got Giada's Kitchen for 1/2 off, and the other 4 books for $1 + shipping. What a steal, eh?

I can't wait to start the Farmer's Wife. It's going to be so much fun!

And the Shopping Fairy couldn't help but purchase these. Persuasion is the best! Rupert Penry-Jones is so swoon-worthy in this version. The collector's Set included Sense and Sensibility (which I haven't seen) and Miss Austen Regrets (which is quite good). I haven't seen Wuthering Heights yet, but based on my Bronte-along friends, it is the best version.

Then the Shopping Fairy stopped at Hollywood Video/Game Crazy, which is going out of business, and purchased these fun things for less than the price posted on the Chronicles of Riddick game. Rec is really good, and the Spanish/original version or Quarantine, the recent US remake.

And of course, why pass up perfectly good, brand new in plastic game guides for only $3 each? The game was the most expensive item, and the movie was only $2, so all in all, the Shopping Fairy did an awesome job.

I'm waiting for the Shopping Fairy to bring our new propane grill (pictures to come) - the Weber Q220. The Shopping Fairy used some Home Depot gift cards to buy some accessories for it already: a 3 piece stainless steel grill set, a grill cover, and a $3 grill pan (on clearance, marked down almost 80%....awesome find!)

The Shopping Fairy is on a roll! Also, I hear that the Shopping Fairy ordered 3 more quilting-related books, and the new Stephenie Meyer novella, so I will post pictures when those arrive as well.

(I secretly hope the Shopping Fairy decides to buy me a Kindle or Nook or something along those lines for Mother's Day, but I'm not going to hold my breath.)

Totally, Pleasantly Surprised

We all thought she was done with vampires and werewolves for the time being. Since Midnight Sun was leaked, we haven't heard much about whether or not she'd continue the series. She very well could, there's the whole Jacob-Renesmee path she could follow. That would be really cool.

So, when I got a message that she'd updated her website, I was pleasantly surprised by what I found.

Introducing the Eclipse novella: The short second life of Bree Tanner. Those of you who have read Eclipse will remember Bree Tanner. She is a very minor player, toward the end of the book. This novella is about her. It comes out the beginning of June. I'm so excited!!


And I'm glad that S.M. is back, writing about vampires. I'm sorry. I tried to read The Host, but I couldn't. I don't know if it just wasn't for me, or maybe I'm not motivated to read anything except for Jane Eyre (thank you Bronte-along) right now. This book, however, has gotten me really excited.

I know, I'm such a nerd! Two Twilight-themed posts in one day! First, the "Team Jacob" track suits and now this. I must admit, I'm a little obsessed. I watched New Moon last night, and started re-reading the book (4th time) yesterday. Yeah.

Oh, and while I'm blogging about Twilight Saga stuff, did I mention that Colton's Angels is having an ECLIPSE PARTY?! Yes! They have teamed up with Borto-Deseret Orphanage to host another FABULOUS party. They booked the midnight showing at the Orem Cinemark and we are seriously going to have the best party ever!

So, stay tuned for more details about the party. Remember, proceeds go to benefit the orphanage and Colton's Angels, who will be doing Festival of Trees again this year. For more information, please visit their blogs/websites. They both are really amazing causes, and well worth while.

If you are interested in donating items for the door prizes, or would just like some more information about Colton's Angels, Borto Deseret, or the party itself, please feel free to email Colton's Angels at coltonsangels@gmail.com We look forward to seeing everyone at the party. It's going to be awesome!


Oh, and you can read the book for free here after June 5th for 1 month! Also, some of the proceeds from the physical book sales will go to the American Red Cross. How cool is that?

My favorite new outfit(s)

I realize that this picture is a little dark, but it shows a small glimpse of my no-longer fat chin. :) No full on face/body shots yet....Have to get my hair done first!

Mike found these track suits on Amazon for $11!! We all got a pair (some of us got 2!) The Team Edward suits weren't very cute. While I am totally on Team Edward, as far as the books are concerned, I can't help but be on Team Jacob for the movie versions!

The right pant leg has paw prints! I love it!

And of course, I had to get the set in pink! I wish I had ordered the navy blue ones as well! They are really comfortable. And for $11 a set, you can't beat that!

Bronte Along

OMG! Melissa over at yummygoods is hosting a Bronte Along. I'm so excited! First up is Jane Eyre.

You know, it's funny, because I actually just downloaded the e-book onto my Droid Eris a few weeks ago, and have started reading it. I'm on Chapter 3! Hoping to actually finish the book this time around (tried reading it a year ago, made it to page 2!). It's going to be so much fun with a whole bunch of other fans.

Also, might convince Mike to let me buy the 2006 Masterpiece Theater version of the movie. IT'S AWESOME! If you haven't seen it, check it out from your library, Blockbuster/Hollywood/Netflix, watch it on YouTube, or buy it! It's worth it, trust me!

Can't wait to see who shows up to join us on the Bronte Along!!! (with a promised Austen-along afterwards! EEEK! So excited!!)

UPDATE:

MARCH 31, 2010:

So, what is the Bronte-Along? I might not have clarified when I originally posted. We read the book, watch the movie(s), make something crafty that is inspired by the particular book/movie we are currently on.

I am participating by watching the 2006 Masterpiece Theater/BBC version of the movie and reading the book. I hope to have time to make something crafty, but I'm unsure of what I want to do at the moment.

Also, make sure you check out the fabulous ladies who started the whole Bronte-Along: Melissa's blog over at Yummy Goods, Beth Dunn's blog over at An Accomplished Young Lady, and their combined project over at Eggplantia (egg-plant-ee-ah).

BRONTE-ALONG ARCHIVE:

You can find my other Bronte-Along related posts here:

Momentary Set Back via Designs by Laura Jo

Another OPAM finish - February

I found this cute little panel fabric at Gracie Lou's and had to have it. I grew up on Beatrix Potter's stories, and Marshy has all the little white books, although we haven't really read them much.

Anyway, I had the panel maybe a day before I cut it up, basted the batting onto it, and sewed it up into this book. Marshy LOVES it. He made me read it to him tonight for bed.

If I say "YES" to one more thing....

I swear I'm going to go crazy!

Okay, so I said yes to this last thing, and it was my own fault. It sounded like too much fun!


I read about NaNoWriMo, and thought it sounded like a good time. The point is to write a 50,000+ word novel during the month of November.


Yes, I know. I'm crazy. I've established that already.

Moving on.

I kind of think I might be able to do it.

Remember a while back, when I said I had writer's block? Well, I just checked, and I had worked on that novel for maybe 5 weeks and had writeen over 62,000 words. And that was with editing EVERY night before I started writing again. Sadly, that project is currently in a re-write stage and totally unfinished. :(

NaNoWriMo says to not edit a thing until December. So, I figure I might actually be able to do this! Who knows? Maybe I won't just write crap, but it might end up being something worth reading. I don't know.

Why am I telling you all this? Because NaNoWriMo recommends telling everyone you know so that you don't wuss out in Week 2. NaNoWriMo started on Sunday, so I am technically 3 days behind. YIKES!

So, that being said ......

I thought about joining NaBloPoMo, but seriously...that is WAY too much to do!

So, wish me luck! Hopefully you will see me posting here. If not, just know that I am probably trying to restrain from editing the crap that my fingers have typed into Word, and that I will probably be bald by the end of the month from all the hair pulling that will ensue.

:D

P.S. - Watched The Proposal tonight and LOVED IT! Of course, Mike made fun of me the whole time, but that's his problem. I didn't care. :) Anyway, if you want something funny and rom-com-errific to watch, rent this one at your local Redbox (it's cheaper that way). :D

Random Thoughts

I have so many thoughts and ideas rolling around in my brain that it's driving me crazy! I need to get some of them out of there! haha

Thinking about writing a book. Thoughts? Suggestions? Am I totally crazy? It probably wouldn't ever get published. I don't think I'm that good. Besides, that would be asking too much of myself, I think. I do think, however, it would be a good experience.

I remember trying to write a story when I was in Jr. High. I think I got to the middle of the first chapter before I typed

"And they lived happily ever after. The End."

Hahahaha

Or maybe I just gave up and it's sitting in a file somewhere, lost, waiting for me to find it and finish it. At any rate, I've never been good at finishing things like that.



Does anyone else have dreams that are so vivid and real that it's like you're watching a movie? And then you wake up and realize it's a dream, and the more you think about it the less you can remember, until it's just a faded memory? I hate that.

I've had a lot of dreams like that lately. I try to think about them while I'm in the shower the next morning, and then write a little of it down so I don't forget. It doesn't always work, but that's mostly where my ideas for stories come from.

Anyone else like that?

This is a totally random, disjointed post. I'm sorry if it doesn't make any sense. I just needed to think about things. But seriously, if you have any suggestions for me, or have done the same thing, please comment!

Or just comment because my self esteem depends on them.

Hahaha just kidding.

Or am I? ;)

Airing of Grievances

Okay, so I know it isn't Festivus, yet, but I have to say this....

I recently finished re-reading the Twilight series, and am, as I type, re-watching the DVD (I got the books and the movie for my birthday).

Now, as I read the books, I realized that Twilight the book is not nearly as dark as the movie. Also, as I read all the books, the actors from the movie fit in almost seamlessly with my mental perception of what the characters should look like.

With one exception:

Edward.

Why? Oh why? Oh why?

He doesn't fit in.

I know this is going to make a lot of people angry, but seriously: WHY?

Okay, that's all. Thanks for listening. :)

One of those days....

Today is one of those days.

The kind of days when things don't get done.

Why? Because I'm currently re-reading the Twilight Saga. It is way better than I remembered it.

Anyway, I have managed to get a few things done. Several quilts, in particular. This one was my favorite. It took me a week, but it turned out so good!

Also, I've started working out again. UGH! It is so hard. Last night was the worst, because we had a bbq right before. I would've put it off, but I know that I have to be good. Besides, I have a work out buddy and she was already at my house! haha

I'm also working on a few other things, so we'll see how they all go. Does anyone else ever feel like they are stretched too thin in a million directions? It's not just me, right?

Also, preparing for court at the end of August. I'm nervous, but excited. Again, I'll let ya'all know how that one turns out.

Next week I hope to be done reading the Twilight books, so then I'll have more time to actually post things here on my blog. :D

An Amazing Quilt

I belong to a group of longarm quilters, and one lady posted the link to this Flickr group. You have GOT to check out this amazing quilt! HOLY COW IT IS AWESOME! It's a Twilight quilt. And it is so good! Even if you aren't a fan of the books, you will LOVE this quilt. Go check it out!

untitled

This post is untitled because I couldn't think of a title, and because leaving it blank just seemed lazy. So while "untitled" is certainly unoriginal, at least it's a title, right?

That being said, I have a confession to make. I am finding it very difficult to get back into work mode after taking a week off. And also into blogging mode. Maybe it's just because I am in so much pain from physical therapy. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I'm going. My shoulders don't hurt nearly as bad as they used to. But today my PT decided to work on my neck and when she said work on she really meant "murder." I was in so much pain, it was crazy. And I was tired. I took 4 ibuprofen way later than I should have, and they have helped a little but I am dreading falling asleep because I know I will wake up sore.

Good news has come from going to PT, besides the pain going away, and that is that I may (or may not, I won't count my chickens before they're hatched) get a new client out of the whole thing. My PT seemed very interested in what I do for a living, and I left her my info. We'll see if anything comes of it. *fingers crossed*

Also, now that I have a digital camera that is small, I find I don't have the camcorder with me when I need it. Marshy does some of the cutest things, and I always miss them! He sings songs from Kai-Lan, and it is so adorable. I'll have to video them this week and post them on here for you all to see. SUPER CUTE!

I have been getting some work done. I do want you to know that! I have finished 4 quilts since I have been home from vay-cay (yay for me!) and I started (finally) on one of the BOM's that I unofficially joined back in January. I am doing this one in the redwork. I've never done redwork before, and I think it will turn out so lovely. I have already done May's block, and am halfway done with April's. Yes, I am working backwards. I hope to have all 5 blocks done by the end of the month so I can start on June with everyone else. I will post pictures after they are pressed, because they are a little wrinkly right now.

Wrinkly.....that is a word you don't hear anymore. This is a random thought, but do you remember the book A Wrinkle in Time? One of my faves as a kid. Is it still in print? I would love to read it again .... "It was a dark and stormy night...." I always thought that was awesome.

Anyway, back to reality! Hopefully tomorrow I will get loads done at work, hopefully pain-free. I don't go back to PT until Tuesday. I do, on Monday, meet with an allergist though. I am getting tested for allergies to bees. Anyone done this before? Is it scary? Does it hurt? What do they do? I don't know anything about it really, just that I need it done. My birth-mother was apparently incredibly allergic, so much that she carried what I assume is an epi-pen with her at all times. Kinda makes you wonder if you're allergic...especially if you've never been stung. And especially since you live in a complex where there are more dandelions than grass. And especially since you have a toddler who may/may not be allergic, and you don't want to find out the hard way: a trip in an ambulance to the ER. Because, as we know, those are not fun trips.

Hmm...

You know, it's funny.

If you go into watching a movie with really low expectations....

the movie ends up actually being better than you thought it would.

Case in point:

TWILIGHT

Finally saw it tonight.

I didn't think it would be nearly as good as the book.

I knew it was a low-budget film, so didn't expect it to be that great either.

Umm....yeah, I know a lot of people don't like the movie because it's not just like the book, and I'll agree, it wasn't just like the book (but when are movies ever just like the book anyway? case in point: Harry Potter...they are all way different from the books, yet we still love them!)

Anyway, back to my train of thought....

LOVED Twilight.

LOVED IT

LOVED IT

LOVED IT

It way exceeded my expectations! I honestly thought, based on the previews I had seen, that it was going to be cheesy and dumb and ruin the books.

I still don't really like Rob.

But I have definitely changed my mind about the girl who plays Bella.

The ads and posters, etc, make her look not as beautiful as she is in parts of the movie.

She really is a pretty girl.

And she really does look like part of what I imagined Bella would look like.

Anyway, that's my little rambling about it.

My advice:

If you've read the book, don't expect great things. If you haven't read the book, enjoy the movie and then go devour the book. You'll like the book better, but that's a given.

:D

Setting this down now

Okay, so I am going to come right out and say it, because if I say it on here, then I have to follow through, right? RIGHT!

So, I have started making my New Year's resolutions already, and I am definitely hoping to complete at least a few of them.

1) Compete in, and hopefully win, the family Biggest Loser challenge. What is this challenge? Well, we as a family are going to be competing for about 3 months to see who can lose the most weight. Then, hopefully, as a reward we will get to go on a cruise or a nice vacation somewhere, without our children, that allows us to show off our new hot bods. Yes, I want to actually do this. It is motivation for me. A cruise? Yeah, never been on one. Sure would like to go though!

2) During the family Biggest Loser challenge, lose a minimum of 25 pounds. I know, it seems like a lot for 3 months, but I sure am hoping to be able to do that. That would put me back to my high school weight, which would be great because I like to think I was hot in high school! :)

3) Read the following 4 books (I'm afraid if I make it any more, I won't actually do it):
Persuasion - Jane Austen
Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen
Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
Vanity Fair - not sure who wrote it, but I want to read it now that I've seen the movie!

4) Pay off my loan entirely. Last August I borrowed a large sum of money from the bank. I would like to have it paid off by the end of this year. Yes, I have 4 years on the loan (so a little over 3 as of right now), but I feel like I need to get this done ASAP.

5) Finish the following sewing projects:
Marshy's Cars bed set
Christmas wall hanging quilt (which will apparently be for next year....)
"Comfort" quilt #2
Mario/Luigi bed set
Halloween wall hanging quilt (which will apparently be for next year....)
Backpack diaper bag #2
Mystery Quilt 2009
Bind the quilts I have in the other room that need to be bound (I think there are 3)

Okay, so that is that. I have set 5 for sure goals for myself to complete in 2009. As for the goals I made for 2008? ha ha ha ha ha ......yeah, no good. First goal: finish all of my sewing projects. HAHAHAHA Like they ever all got done! I got a good chunk of them done, but not nearly all of them. Second goal: keep the house clean all the time and make homemade dinner every night. HAHAHAHAHA Again....that never really got done. Sometimes the house was clean, but then we'd go out to eat. Or the house would be a little messy, and I'd make a nice homecooked meal. But it was never both. I guess part of it is that it is sure hard to keep the kitchen looking nice when your sewing machine is practically glued to the counter! So, I will try to continue these goals in 2009, but rather than set myself up for disappointment by not achieving them, I am just going to think of them as nice things to do, and not so much as "I have to do this or I have totally failed in life".

Night Off

I stayed at work until 7 tonight. I am taking the night off at home. Yes, I have a quilt back that needs to be seamed. Yes I have borders that need to be sewn on G-ma's quilt. Yes I have mom's present to finish, and brother's present to start. But I am starting to get a stress cold. You know, the sinus pressure/congestion, the cough, the constant usage of kleenex (I prefer Puffs plus with lotion and aloe....guess what though? Wal-mart was OUT OF THEM! I am stuck with regular Puffs, which are better than Kleenex, but my nose is starting to get red now. boo hoo!) all caused by stupid stress. And not so much work stress, as personal "Oh crap I'm not going to get all my presents made" stress. I also stocked up on Sudafed. And by stocked up I mean bought 1 box because that's all they'll let you buy now. Stupid druggies making it hard for me to get my medicine!

I also have studying to do, laundry to finish and fold, and a lot of housecleaning that needs to be done. Yeah, I'm taking the night off from that too. I ate some popcorn, and watched You've Got Mail on tv. Now I am lazing around in my comfy jammies. Ahhhh. This is the life! Well, it would be if I weren't starting to get sick! :(

It's just after midnight....maybe I'll take some Ny-Quil and go to bed early. Hahah! Early! This is my normal bedtime...well, it will be in 45 minutes. Well, that said, I think I will go to bed. Maybe I'll start reading Persuasion again. It's not like I started it back in February or whenever, and haven't gotten past the 2nd chapter. And the language is such that I'll probably fall right to sleep reading it. That sounds like a nice plan. Okay then. I'll do it!

Good night, ya'all!!

An old friend

I have a friend. I call her Louisa May. We used to play all the time. Then I grew up a little, and didn't have time for her.

Recently I began to read again. I read Stephenie Meyer (Twilight series), Ann Rinaldi (Time Enough for Drums, The Last Silk Dress), Patricia Clapp (Constance), and Joan Lowry Nixon (The Ellis Island trilogy). Finding myself enjoying reading very much, and wanting to read some more, I returned to my old friend: Louisa May Alcott. I read Eight Cousins. I had read it many years ago, but for the life of me didn't really remember anything about the story, except that Mac almost went blind. Then I read the sequel, A Rose in Bloom. Again, didn't remember much about this one, except for the fate of poor Charlie. Now I am reading An Old-Fashioned Girl. I apparently have read my copy of the book several times, as it is quite worn out, but I cannot for the life of me remember anything about the story! I feel like I am discovering it for the first time. It is so splendid. Next, I want to go to the library and check out the Little Women books. And then I want to watch the movie. You know, the one with Winona Ryder and Christian Bale (oh how I love to watch him in movies, particularly this one...and Newsies...and Batman)?

Anyway, I have rediscovered an old friend, and thought I would share. Who are some of your favorite authors? What books are you reading, or have you read that you go back to time and time again? As I have recently rediscovered the joy of reading, I hope that at some point this holiday season you all can find some small time to yourself to read and enjoy a good book too!

300 POSTS!!!

Wow!! I cannot believe I have made it to 300 posts! And I only started blogging in January!!

I've posted a whole bunch of newly finished quilts here. Go check them out! Here is just a sampling:

These are only 2 of the quilts I posted about. To see more pictures of these, and the other quilts, go here now.

Today we had Colton's Angels. It was a fun night. We learned how to make this really yummy, easy bread. I can't wait to try it out for myself and have Mike say "WOW! This is good stuff!" That would make me so happy. :)

Today we also decided what we are getting for Christmas. Ready for it?......COOKBOOKS!!! YAY! And not just any lame-o cookbooks, but really good ones. There are 6 we are trying to decide between. We are getting 4 of them. When I find out which 4 Mike orders, I'll let you know. Marshy is getting a Black & Decker tool playest, complete with "working" drill press, vicegrips, circular saw, and jigsaw. We put it together the other night. It is cool! We even played with it a little before we put it away. He is also getting Elmo Live! He loves Elmo, and, thankfully, isn't afraid of him everytime we pass him in the store. He has a few books with Elmo's picture in it, and he will open them up and say "Melmo! There he is!" It's really quite cute. Marshy will also be recieving 2 quilts, if I can get them done in time! 1 needs to be bound, and one needs to be quilted. Yikes!

I finally finished my grammar section of my schoolwork, and am now moving on to all the fun medical stuff. Right now I'm studying anatomy. I'm a little nervous, because I know that the patella is the knee cap, and I'm pretty sure that the tibia and fibia are in the leg, but then where does the ulna go? Is it in the arm? (See why I'm nervous?)

Well, there's my 300th post. Not to exciting, I know. Sorry. I think I'm really just more proud of myself for actually making it to 300 posts. I honestly didn't think I would enjoy blogging as much as I have. I am so lucky to have you great readers, and blog friends. It's nice to have friends, and I appreciate all of your comments. And if there are any lurkers out there, I'm glad to have you too!

Eating Healthy

Mike and I live what a doctor, and my mother, would call a "sedentary" lifestyle. He drives for a living, and I stand in front of a quilt machine. Yes, I use some muscle to move the thing, and I walk back and forth from one side to the other and I chase my 2 year old around, but still....not very active where doctors are concerned.

Anyway, we have decided to try to eat a little more healthy. I know, I know. It's like attempt number 28 or something like that. But when we were at Sam's Club the other day, we started looking at cook books, and Mike got me the best one. It's by Better Homes and Gardens, called Cook Healthy Today. It's pretty good. I've already tried a few recipes in it, and they are quite tasty. They even have a section on weight loss. It plans out your meals for 2 weeks with a caloric intake of 1200, 1500, or 1800 calories per day. It's really nice. It takes a lot of guesswork out of things. So we are trying it for the next two weeks to see if we notice a change in our level of health.

The surprising thing I found, using this healthier new menu, is that grocery shopping wasn't that bad. Yes, it was kind of expensive this week, because I didn't have a lot of spices or condiments, but once you buy those you don't have to buy them for a while. The thing I found most surprising was that I bought mostly produce, and it didn't cost as much as I thought it would. It was the other stuff like cereal and canned foods that cost a bundle.

Now all that's left for me to do is pull out the Wii Fit......but I'm not feeling up to it this week. It tells too many truths and not enough lies! (Those of you who have one know exactly what I mean!) Maybe I'll stick to baby-wrangling for the time being.

As promised

Okay, so I know I promised a post with a picture, and here it is. I was going to post earlier, but I got distracted by my maniac baby running around the house shouting "CAR!" and making me kiss his imaginary boo-boos and his cars better.

Anyway, tonight I went up to the SLC to visit with some friends. My friend Cheryl is in town from out of state, and some of the old high school gang got together at my friend Kathleen's house for a gathering. It was really fun.

I think my favorite part was when anyone I knew walked in and saw me, they'd say "Joanna! You're not dead!" as if they half expected I had died, even though my facebook account miraculously updates itself daily, and they were so surprised to see me. I understand why. I live in BFE county....well not really BFE county, more like Happy Valley, but compared to everyone else who still lives up there it is BFE.

It was so fun to catch up though. My friend Mike, who my mom hated when we were in high school, has gotten married and his wife is so cute! My friends Jon and Brad were there. It was so much fun reminiscing with them about all the trouble they got into during high school. Oh good times. Anita and Areli showed up, and it was fun to catch up with them, and with Cheryl and Kathleen. I also met a few people the "utah" gang had met at school, and they seemed pretty nice.

I was actually surprised, because when the topic of books and the new Harry Potter movie came up, and then Twilight was blamed for its being postponed, I stood up for it. Then, one of the "new" kids, James, asked me if I'd read the last book. I was totally surprised that a guy had read the entire series and actually liked it. I told my hubby, Mike, he should read it and he laughed at me! Said something about how Stephenie Meyere broke all the "rules" set up by some other group of writers.

Anyway, since I promised a post, I'm posting. I know it's technically past midnight, but I seriously just got home. So, anyway. Quilt posts tomorrow, promise! I'm almost done with three. I made the binding for them today, and actually attached it to two of the quilts. So now I am working on binding, and that shouldn't take too lon, I hope. And then I can have more fun pictures for you!

Newest Project

Today I was going to go in to work ad put a quilt on....but then Marshy was so tired after our grocery shopping excursion that I decided not to go in. Instead, I got started on my latest project.

I began working on this on our Deer Valley vacation back in July, but didn't get very far. I cut out the background pieces, and that was about it. I've been planning on doing this little alphabet soft book for quite some time now, and I am even hoping to maybe make a pattern that I could sell, along with the finished product.

I spent most of the afternoon watching Law and Order: SVU on Netflix instant view on our home theater PC (it's a normal desktop that is hooked up to the TV, and we watch movies and instant view stuff on it, as well as use it for internet and other things....especially now that the laptop really won't charge hardly at all). While watching SVU season 4, I began working on the applique shapes. Last week I spent an entire night trying to figure out what each page was going to have on it. I finally got a picture planned for each letter of the alphabet. WHEW! It was rough for several of them....like "J", "M", and "V". I think those were the ones I had the hardest time with.

Anyway, I drew all the shapes out, and then traced the patterns onto my Wunder-under, and then cut them out, and fused them to my selcted fabrics. And then I cut those out and fused them to the background squares. It really wasn't too hard. I bet I could bust it out in far less time the next time I decide to make one, because now I have all the pictures drawn.

So, here is my progress. I was originally going to make the book with 1 letter per page, but I think now I'm going to do 2 letters per page. That way instead of 26 pages there are only going to be 13. I had even contemplated 4 per page, but that left the last page with only 2 letters, and I'd have to figure something out for the other 2 blocks. So I think I'll stick with the 2 per page for now.

Above: A-F

Below G-J

Above: K-N

Below: O-P

Above: Q-T

Below: U-X

Below: Y-Z

It will look really cute when it is all stitched down and embellished. I'm debating stitching in the word as well, somewhere on the page. I think I'll play around with that idea.....not quite sure yet what I want to do. I want to get the cover made tomorrow, and at least sew the pages together to that I can get started on the stitching and not have to worry about as many blocks. Then I can baste the page filler (probably left-over batting from the quilts I've been doing) and then sew each side together and attach it to the cover as I finish it. That is my hope.

I've had this idea for oh....8 months now I think.... and am finally getting around to doing it. I guess that is what happens when you run out of things to do! hahaha It's not like I've been reading a ton of books lately or anything....oh wait, yeah, I have. (Still reading the partial of Midnight Sun, and absolutely LOVING it, by the way! I really hope she decides to finish it soon.)

Anyway, so maybe tomorrow the book will be partially finished. I have a few other projects that need appliques stitched down on, too, but they are a lot bigger than this one. So, I guess we'll see which one gets done first. One of the other projects is mostly done, but it's so boring! I can barely stand to pick it up anymore. I need to just buckle down and finish it. I wish I were more motivated. It's going up for sale in my Etsy shop once I'm done with it, so you'd think that ought to be motivation enough, but for some reason it just isn't. Hmmm.....I've only been working on it for about a month, but I still feel like I ought to be farther along on it. I started it during the Olympics. It's just a placemat/wall-hanging size project. It really shouldn't take that long..... but now I'm running on and on. And I have some more chapters to read online.

I wish I hadn't rediscovered how much I really do enjoy reading....it only makes it that much more difficult to focus on everything else I have to do. Like iron 4 of Mike's shirts for his trip this week. I guess I'd better do that right now before I forget and it's 4:30 AM and he's getting ready to leave and he comes out here to me asleep on the floor in front of the TV with my book open on the screen! That would not be fun at all! "You let it burn in to the tv! how could you?" I can hear it now.... hahah :)