Seeing Stars

My day has started out rough. I think being cooped up in the house has made everyone crabby. Zach is shouting and growling at everyone....though he is in time out so is quiet at the moment. Charlotte's cycle of behavior is still going, though Daddy caught on and seemed to gain control where I can not. (Yippee!!!) and I am melancholy for some reason. Well, let's not dwell there. Before I forget, again, I wanted to share the room make over Sweetheart did a while back. He did Charlotte's room before he did my sewing room, but I keep forgetting to post pics. Here is the before....And here is the after....He hung new drapes (clearance priced to almost "here, just take them for nothing") and new bedding for just about the same 90% off! He put up a strip of white wood trim around the middle of the room and painted a lighter lavender below it.He painted all the dark green trim on the furniture the same lavender. When he bought those, almost free, drapes, he came home and noticed they were different prints. Quite funny, but it worked out. He went back and bought (or took) the matching ones and used the other pair to reupholster the desk chair. Much cheaper than buying fabric and it matches!!The carpet is still ruined, but is on the other side of the bed so I don't have to look at it. Daddy is checking her bedding and room regularly for destruction. It is a huge relief to not worry about that, and she seems to be doing good listening to him.

Zach's room is 90% redone. I will share pics soon.

I got the border on the Star Sampler. Borders are difficult for me. If you cut them, sew them on and trim, you have a big ripple effect. Sooooo, you must measure. My quilt measured 48.5 inches exactly in width. That means all my seams were a perfect 1/4 inch...yeah, me!!! So I cut my border 48.5 and attached it. Still it seemed the border was about an inch short, even though it was not. Why?? Cause you measure the middle of the quilt. So I worked at fudging it on all 4 sides and now, with borders attached it measures a perfect 60x72 with no ripples.

Since it no longer takes up my design wall, I put up my next project. An, almost 1/2 finished Hidden Star. 40 blocks total, laid out 5x7.Forgive the lighting. I have been working on this quilt, on and mostly off, for 11 years. I pulled it out last year and was going to finish it. I had it laid out on the floor, and a friend walked in and sucked air in utter horror. She said, "YOU ARE NOT MAKING THAT TO GIVE TO SOMEONE ARE YOU?? THAT IS UGLY!!!" So I put it up. She is not a quilter, and I realized....She has never liked one quilt I have ever made, so I pulled it back out. Everyone has their opinion and I happen to like these fabrics and the block is ok....not a favorite, but I still like it. It is a quilt for someone else and I think it will be loved. (My friend really does love me...she feels close enough to share her opinion and many of her's are different than my own...it is ok)

Some of you have wondered why I dislike quilting classes. Well, I am self taught and I have never taken a quilting class. I did go to a lecture class once, and learned from some "classes" taught at my old guild, but I am so set in my quilting ways that I would feel very insecure, plus I can get a block together with out paying some one to show me how...it seems a waste. However, with Sweetheart's encouragement I did sign up for a BOM class at my little fabric store up here. It will be one Monday a month and we will be making...what else??...a star quilt! I told Winona, 2009 is my year for star quilts!! I also decided to try the lecture class for the kit I bought...not committing to sticking with that one though.

Changing the subject....I joined Sharon's Diet Challenge.
We update on Monday's and I need to take a before picture....yikes!!! I have lost 29.5 pounds so far...I still have a ways to go. I am doing low carb, as it makes me feel great and corrects many of my health issues.

It is basically Atkins, though I do not eat fast food burgers, nor do I eat pork or shell fish. I had a big stall in my weight loss for a few weeks. I could not figure it out and then looked carefully at everything I ate. I found I was getting 40 teaspoons of coffee creamer a day!!!!! MAN! That is an extra 40 carbs. I lowered that WAY down and the pounds started to come off again.

That is about it. I pray the day turns around here. I guess as long as I am on the computer it will stay the same, so off I go!