Shellac-ed

Just finished putting together a list of quilt classes that I have previously taught as a proposal for another quilt group.  I am so excited to be able to teach in other places and that people are enjoying my classes and requesting more.   Now, I need to come up with a new class to teach at Ogallala next year and start working on that proposal. 

I still haven't gotten any quilting done this week.  I plan on getting in the studio tomorrow.  Judy Laquidara at Patchwork Times is hosting a Quiltathon.  I haven't done any preparations getting my house ready for me to quilt all day long for the next 4 days like she has, but when has that ever stopped me?  Also, I don't have anyone expecting food on the table except for me and the dogs.  I am sure the dogs will let me know when 5:00 gets here, so I plan on doing a bit of sewing in the next four days. 

One of the things I have to contend with this weekend and am currently having problems typing with, are my nails.  Normally, working in a kitchen and due to sanitation standards, I keep my nails cut short with no polish on them.  However, since I have been out of school this summer and I didn't work in a kitchen, I have let my nails grow out.  My nails have always been really hard and grow very quickly, so they have gotten quite long in just the few weeks since I decided to let them grow.   Almost four weeks ago, I went to the nail salon to have a pedicure and maybe have my nails done, also.  I normally don't have my nails done since 1) I teach culinary classes 2) I am hard on my nails and polish usually chips off in a couple of days 3) I am cheap and don't want to waste my money.  So, when the owner asked if I wanted my nails done, also I told her about being hard on my nails and she recommended that I get them shellac-ed. (however it's spelled)  (how many times can I say, "have my nails done?")  I had read the blog when Ree (Pioneer Woman) had done her nails and it seemed to work for her so I said, "sure, why not?" I was indulging myself since I had finished volleyball and had taught a quilt class. I love them!!! I have since had to go back and have them done again - not because they had chipped off - no, quite the opposite - my nails had grown out and I had a 1/4" between my color and my cuticle. I didn't like it and thought about just cutting them off, but I still have another week before I have to be in the kitchen to teach a class for teachers so I got them done again in a brighter pink. I really love them and highly recommend this technique to anyone who is hard on their nails or might even have weak nails. This adds a hard layer on the top and might help them.

 

You may can see where my nails have already grown out some since it has been a week - okay, you might not be able to tell, but I can.  After it's first applied, you can't see any space above the cuticle.  Now, to get it off, I may have to do it myself - I read how Ree took her polish off - but I may just have to get them to do it for me since that was a good 30 minute ordeal by a professional and it might take me a couple of hours.  I can't wait until next summer when I can do this again!  Who knows, I might even have her put some kind of design on them, but that may be a little wild for me. 

School Registration

Way back in late April or early May, I told my principal that I would assist with registration at one of the high schools here in town. Registration can be a crazy, crazy time with 3000 students, their parents, their siblings and sometimes Grandma all coming to register their one student.  I signed up to work 2 days, Tuesday and Wednesday.  As it got closer to my appointed time, I dreaded going.  I was giving up my free time to work?  Who does things like that?  Oh, yes, I forgot I was getting comp time for working.  Then, the television newsman - which I very rarely watch - was saying that registration had changed and it was only going to be for new and incoming students to that high school.   The next day I called a friend of mine that is an AP (assistant principal) at the high school I was volunteering for and asked if they needed me.  The answer was no, they didn't think so, but to remember they were just an AP and not the Principal.  YEA!!!  I made appointments with a plumber and a small appliance guy to come an fix several problems I was having with my kitchen sink/disposal/dishwasher for the next Tuesday.  (I called a week before I was scheduled to work and the maintenance guys were super busy.  Tuesday was the first day they could get me in!!)

Anyways (lol  I know, it's not a word and I am only putting it in there since my friend and I just talked about it not being a word!!) Anyways, I get a phone call at 9:00 a.m. the Monday before I was scheduled to work on Tuesday, that I am to report to the other high school (I had been traded) to work registration!!
WHAT???  I told my story about checking in, etc and was told they would get back with me. Then at 10 a.m. I got a call from my friend and was told that I was needed to work at their school on Tuesday.  I told them the entire story about the phone call from my school, being traded, checking it out and said I would text them back.  Next phone call 2:00 p.m.  - "yes, you are to work on Tuesday at the second high school, please check your e-mail."  Who checks their work e-mail when they are on vacation?  WHO??  Not me, says the little pig!!  So, I go to my school e-mail, wade through all the junk and guess what?  I was supposed to be at a meeting at the second school that morning at 11:00 a.m.  Can't be at a meeting you didn't know about, now can you?  So, long story short - yea, now I shorten it, huh?  I go up to the second school, (tried calling twice, but no answer - typical of this school) wait for the VP to get out of a meeting (school is closing down in 5 minutes!) speak with the VP telling them about my Tuesday appointments and can I come in on Wednesday as scheduled and then on Thursday instead?  The answer is yes and can you work on Friday?  Well, I have nothing better to do and it seems like he may be shorthanded on Friday, so I say yes, but . . . I check in with MY Principal to see if it's okay - since I am working for comp time.  So - - worked three days - - get three days off later in the year to go quilting - - life is good! 

Well, maybe not so good.  This is what I looked at for three days - - three looooong 8 hour days - - -

NOTHING!!  See how empty the tables are?  This is on day two of working and I told my table partner that I was going to take a picture.  He said, "there isn't anything there".  Of course, that was the reason I was taking the picture so you could see 1) how busy we were 2) how gray my scenery was and 3) how bored I was to be taking a picture of NOTHING!!  (okay, I know there are chairs and tables and I know it's not nothing, but there aren't any people there registering their students) 

I think in the three days, 48 hours, 2880 minutes, that I worked I may have helped or spoken with about - 15 families (max)  to assist them or just to have them put their final check-off papers in the box.  (Check-off papers:  papers that tell you where all you need to check in and take care of so you can be finished with registration.  Papers that were printed before they decided to change up registration and so they decided to use them anyway.  Papers that did not have ANYTHING to do with how registration was run this year.  Papers that were going to be thrown away at the end of registration.)  When someone would ask about what to do with their paper - can't they see that the box in front of me has a copy of that paper taped to the outside and others had left their paper inside the box - now I know where the student gets it from - I would smile and tell them to just drop it in the box.  They would then ask for a pen so they could put their name on it - WHY?  I would just tell them not to worry about it and drop it in the box. 

It wasn't as bad as it could have been if I didn't have a great table partner to talk to and if I didn't have my tablet with a kindle app so I could read and when I got bored with reading - or had too many interruptions from all the workers talking (not people registering)  - I could play angry birds or any other games I had downloaded. (don't you love a run on sentence?)   Now, it's over and I only have about a week before we start 10 days of inservice.   The good news is we don't have convocation anymore!! (hated that - total waste of time and money!)

Union Jack Block (with edit)

Last night I watched the opening ceremony of the Olympic games and decided I had to make me a Union Jack block.  I had seen many tutorials on blogs so I thought it would be easy to find those tutorials again and make me a block.  After 30 minutes of searching the blogs I finally found a tutorial that made sense and was simple to follow.  I didn't want to make the traditional flag so I chose my colors and fabrics so it would not have a traditional flag appearance or would be considered a part of any country.  I wanted a "neutral" modern look to this block.  Since the tutorial had three different fabrics plus the white, I also went with three fabrics.  Here is my block:

In making this block, sewing the white strips to the fabric takes the longest time, but that could also have been because I cut two strips of each color and 8 of the white strips (which is what I thought the directions said to do) Now, since it only took one strip of each of the stripe colors, I have two strips left and I am going to make another block or two.  I think I will change up the background color a little or maybe make one exactly like this and then make two blocks different from this and set them in an AB/BA pattern.  Who knows what will come out of it.  I am also working on my 16 patch quilt that needed a few more sashing strips.  After sewing the star points onto the strips last night I started sashing the remaining blocks I have and they are a bit off.  I am not sure what I have done wrong, but I am totally frustrated with this quilt and can't wait to finish it off so I can donate it to our Hope house. 

(they have asked for quilt donations and I really was excited about making some quilts for them until one of the directors said they would be giving them away to anyone that wanted to take one.  I thought we would be giving them quilts to be used in the house.  It makes it really hard to donate a quilt when the people you donate to really don't value them the way you think they should be valued and just haphazardly give them to anyone.  Makes me wonder why I should make a $200 or more quilt for them to just throw away like that and then expect me to make them another one.  Some people just don't understand the time and energy, much less the money that goes into making a homemade quilt.  I may have to go to a thrift shop or Wal-mart and buy them a quilt or two.  It will be cheaper and then I don't care if they just give it away.  They will be happy to get some quilts and I will be happy that my creation isn't just thrown away)

Sorry about the rant.  Just stating my opinion and my opinion only. 

for those of you wanting to know where I got my tutorial - here it is:  http://quiltstory.blogspot.com/2012/06/queens-jubilee-and-union-jack-tutorial.html

Words to Ponder

Back in January, the crew over a Modern 8 Create had a challenge to come up with their word for the year.  I always have great intentions to challenge myself and do their projects, but I have yet to complete on of their challenges.  However, I still want to do this one.  (and I will finish the April Challenge since it just needs borders and quilting)  So, my thinking is that I could have a word for this upcoming school year.  The problem is, I can't think of or decide on the right word.  You know the feeling when you hear the word and it just feels right?  Well, I haven't had that feeling yet.  Of course as a teacher I want there to be "LEARNING" (Nope, doesn't feel right) and in my class there will always be something "COOKING" or "STEWING"  hopefully nothing will be "BURNING"  ha ha!!  I don't think I want an "ing" word at all even though it is an "ing" type of classroom.  Maybe I don't want a "classroom" word, but a life word, hmmm.  Maybe a word for thought.  Looking at the words that were chosen by the 8 women:  "TRUST", "FINISH", "TRY".  The only one that sorta fits is "try", but it's just not right.  My favorite one that would be totally appropriate for this situation is Glen's word:  "ALBONDIGAS".  It's a Spanish word for meatballs!  So, maybe my word could just be a random word that can be shouted when things don't go our way or something burns or is just not right!!  Let me know what you think and send me some words to ponder . . .

Thunder, Bangs and Sleep

It's that time of year again for Thunder in the Desert.  It's not what you would think.  We aren't getting major thunder and rain storms - which we would welcome just as much - however, drum corp international is here this weekend for another showing.  Do you know how I know it's that time of year again?  They are rehearsing and staying at the junior high and elementary schools surrounding my home.  (one a couple blocks to the north and one a block to the west)  I can hear them practice over and over and it's not helping my headache at all!!

I have been crashing out since I got back home from teaching a class in Andrews.  The class was awesome and I think the ladies really enjoyed it.  I taught my funky stars quilt and threw in a couple of other things, also.  Anyway, about 7 that night I was nodding off watching television so I made myself get up and go to bed!  That is how tired I was!!  SEVEN O'CLOCK!!!!!  I slept until about 11:30, played on the computer for a bit and went back to sleep until 11.  Needless to say, I have slept a lot in the last couple of days.  My body really took me at my word that it could crash after Saturdays class and it did!!  I have been trying to fight off a sinus infection for over a week now and it may just now be clearing up after all the sleeping I have done (and taking NyQuil) for the past couple of days.  Now I am ready to sew.  I have a couple of quilts on the wall that need just a bit more to finish up.  Once the tops are done I will photograph and post them.  So, here is the list of quilty things to work on in the next couple of days:

1.  Olive garden quilt - add a couple of borders
2.  16 patch quilt - finish sashings for last row and add borders
3.  Blogger's BOM - make blocks 10 and 11 (due out tomorrow)
4.  catch up and make all the blocks with the color challenge from 15 minutes play
5.  decide on a layout for the color challenge blocks.

Now the squirrels are adding to the banging and noise by throwing down the green pine cones from the tree next door onto my porch roof which in turn causes McCallum to bark like someone is attacking the house.  Which, if you think about it, is what the little squirrels are doing with their pine cone bombs. 

Taking some Tylenol and moving on to the sewing room to block out all the excess noise with the sounds of sewing and a movie. 

Business Cards

I used to teach Coop or Career Preparation and I was out in the community checking on my students that were working and always had a business card to hand out or to introduce myself.  I did this for about 8 years.  Whenever I would make a change in classrooms or course titles I would change up my business card and really enjoyed making the changes in style from time to time.  I think I had three or four different cards in those 8 years.   I wish I had kept at least one of each of them, but didn't want to keep old information around  so when it was time for a change, I would tear up or shred the old cards and move on.  When I started teaching Culinary Arts two years ago, I knew I needed business cards for this new venture in my life.  I would go to meetings or meet someone new and they would say, "do you have a card?"  and I would have to say, "No, sorry, I don't."  They would hand me one of theirs and look at me pitying the poor teacher that didn't have a card to hand out.  I would leave that encounter embarrassed and depressed that I hadn't gotten around to making new cards for myself.  WELL, NO LONGER!!!!

I just got my cards in from VistaPrint.  If you haven't used them before, give it a try.  I have gotten business cards from them for the last 10 years!!  They are wonderful quality and I really enjoy being able to get on there and arrange my cards just the way I want!  Also, they are really, really reasonably priced considering I paid almost $70 for my first set of cards from a local shop and I paid $10 for 250/one side printed cards and $22.50 for 500/two side printed cards.  Below are my new cards for Culinary Arts.  The front has my name and all my information and the back, has the name of our student run restaurant.  I just love these!!  The colors are the same as the walls in our restaurant.  A perfect match.  I can't wait to start handing these out to everyone.  I may even have to mail some to friends I made at Culinary Educators school a couple of weeks ago.  I want to be like Maxwell,the pig, and yell, "Whee, Whee, Whee" out the window.  : )

 While I was ordering cards for me at school, I decided I needed cards for my life as a quilter, teacher and designer.  I needed contact cards for students in my classes to have that included my blog address - I know it's weird and long, but it really fits my life.  So, I ordered some cards for me.  I saw the pink background and knew right away that this is what I wanted my cards to be.  I debated about using the fun font on my name, but when I would put it back to the original font, I couldn't do it.  I needed my name to be in a totally different font and to stand out.  I put a slight rush on the the printing so these cards would be here for next weekend when I teach a class for the Andrews quilt guild.  I now have professional cards to pass out to everyone in my class.  Just what I wanted!! 

P.S. This is not an advertisement for VistaPrint.  They have no idea who I am, I just love their products and can totally recommend using them the next time you need business cards, postcards, etc.  Check them out http://www.vistaprint.com/

Quiltcon

Have you seen this yet?  I just saw it on Alissa's site:  Handmade by Alissa.  I WANT TO GO!!!!  The good thing is it's in Texas so not too far (only 5 or 6 hours away) and I have already looked at the class selections and have made my choices.  Of course, I can't register until August 30th, but I still know what I want to take.  Now, I just have to suck it up the next two weeks of summer league and earn that money so I can go have some fun come February!