Next Stash Busters pattern

This is the next pattern challenge from my Stash Buster's group at Sager Creek. It's actually an easy pattern the way Pam has us doing it. I'm struggling with my need to finish UFOs versus my desire to start a new quilt in this pattern! Which will it be...? Oh heck, you know I'm going to start a new one! Now, what colors?

It's a brave, new world...

It's terrifying for someone as set in her ways as I am to venture into a world that is so thoroughly populated by incredibly interesting and talented people. Seven years ago I ventured into my mother's world of quilting. Actually, I did a swan dive into the shallow end by taking on the quilt show. Now I walk comfortably among those people.

About five years ago I reluctantly built a LinkIn page (albiet with little actual information and no photo - I wasn't that brave). This year my job market research for my classes has indicated that I can't just sit back on this aspect of social networking either. So now I'm actually connecting with friends, family, and former students. How amazing to be able to keep up with what's going on in people's lives!

Last year I accidentally joined Facebook. Before I could figure out how to delete my page, I had two friends. I heard from friends I hadn't seen since high school! I'm now in daily contact with quilters in Ireland! I "talk" to my friends in Colorado, Missouri, and Florida. I know what's going on in so many lives. I've expanded my "family" in ways I never expected.

Last week, I really screwed my courage to the sticking point by starting this blog. I never thought I would get the courage to tell people about it, but this morning, I closed my eyes, held my breath, and hit the button to send my site address to Facebook. I'm glad I did. Thank you to my family and friends for the encouraging responses. If no one ever visits again, at least I know that many of you were supportive enough of to me to look the first time!

And by the way, I finally added my photo to LinkedIn yesterday. Aaaaauuuuggghhhh! For the first time, I am publically identifying myself as something other than a cat. Don't tell anyone.

To Do List Complete

I finally uploaded my UFO (UnFinished Objects) photos on to my To Do page. I'm hoping that this constant reminder of  projects-in-waiting will inspire me to finish these quilts. I'm afraid that, instead, I'll just add new unfinished friends to my list. Sigh. I finished about five or six UFOs last year, and I only added one - that's progress. I want to be able to post before and after photos (and maybe even in progress photos) as I complete each project. Wish me luck and energy! Chocolate helps, too.

Still don't have the pictures up on my To Do List page. I just e-mailed them to myself, so I hope to get them posted tomorrow. I'm still working hard on my Red Sea quilt, so maybe I can get it crossed off the list shortly after I get it posted. Wouldn't that look impressive?

Creation of the To Do Quilt List

Dogwood Quilters Quilt Guild has declared 2012 the year to "Get 'er Done." To that end, I am creating a page of UFOs that I need to finish asap. Although I can't get all of them done this year, I have great hopes of finishing many of them. Most just need borders, backs, and quilting.

I was well on my way to working through one of these projects on Saturday morning when I burned out an outlet in my sewing room. It's hard to sew in the dark. Fortunately, I know an electrician who has a full-time job at a factory during the week and does small electrician's jobs at night and on week-ends. Guess who was close by and available! Thank goodness, Jeff had my sewing room relit and working again in less than an hour. I still didn't get my quilt top finished, but I am significantly closer!

Today is my half-day at work. This afternoon, I quilt! Okay, first I have lunch with Mom, feed the chickens, give the kitties their yum, load the dishwasher, water my plants, and gather the laundry. THEN I quilt.

I'm trying to get more of my Ocean Waves patterned quilt finished before our Stash Busters meeting next Thursday. Of course, the cats keep "helping" me cut the fabric (Fabric must be lain on for at least two hours to warm it up before it can be cut.), sew the pieces (Watch the tail!), and iron the blocks (Oh, that warm ironing board feels good on the fur!), so it's taking far longer to get anything done than I had planned. Earlier this week I tried switching to binding my butterfly quilt (picture coming as soon as the binding is on), but I do have four cats. There always seems to be someone free to curl up on the quilt as I'm working on it or to occupy it permenantly if I get up for a moment.

We had a lovely Q.U.I.L.T. meeting last night with one of our own members giving a trunk show. Liz does fabulous work. I also saw Diana there last night. She is the wonderful friend who took on the challenge of teaching an applique hater to actually enjoy applique. She found an African mask pattern for me that I absolutely love. I now have all of the masks made and need to work on the setting so that I can have a wall hanging to show off. I find myself actually looking for new applique patterns now. How embarassing after all I've said over the years about applique...

Today's blog justification thought-

One of my reasons for creating this blog is to explore the connection between on-line social connections and employability. I teach Employability Skills to entry-level, post-secondary students, and I am fascinated by the new evaluative tools being used by prospective employers. I have set myself the goal of learning as much as possible about the pros and cons of developing relationships soley through social media. How do these relationships impact, positively or negatively, on our ability to get new job offers? How do they help our networking capabilities?

So why a quilt blog instead of a professional introspective? Because quilts are more fun! This is supposed to be SOCIAL media, right? I can still demonstrate my willingness to be creative and curious while discussing my passions for quilting and cats (not necessarily in that order). I'm eager to share and teach and learn, but that will require followers and readers. Darn. I guess that eventually I will have to let people know about this little blog, but I think I will wait until I have more interesting information to share.