getting back into the swing of things

Hello everyone!

I want to extend a special thank you to my readers for their kind comments.  I also want to thank each person who has purchased a pattern, I appreciate it more than you know :)  I still don't have my kids but each day is getting slightly better.  Felt good to take a break from blogging and just focusing on life, having some fun with friends, and busting my tail at work taking any available shifts I can. 

As for quilty news, I've been working on my bee blocks, and began work on an overdue baby quilt (isn't that always the case?!).  I also have a few more patterns in the works so hopefully I can get some samples made and get some new ones out there!

Work is going well.  I'm out of my probationary period so I feel more solidified in my job now and feel like I can breathe a little easier.  It's amazing to have a job where you can go to work everyday and love what you do and look forward to doing it. 

So for now that's my update!  Hope to be around these parts a little more :)

quasi update on me

Things haven't been going well at all.  Found out my mother completely used  me and my money to get into this house we're in now.  She's losing her house to foreclosure and/or the taxman because she bought a house she knew she couldn't afford so she fed me this sob story on how her husband was cheating on her and she wanted to leave him.  So we got this house based on the fact she wanted to leave him.

She took over the house.  She's treating me like I'm a teenager.  I'm not the destitute daughter that can't pay her bills, in fact it's quite the opposite.  I can't have ANYTHING of mine outside my bedroom.  If I do she throws a hissy fit.  Shoes, jackets, camera, cell phone, iron, whatever, you name it, I can't have it anywhere outside my room.  She put my dogs crate in my room, I had no room with it in there and she flipped out when I brought it into the living room. 

Long story short, turns out she completely lied to me.  Used me and my money, now she's trying to kick me out claiming the landlord doesn't want me here and that I'm a royal slob.  What mother uses their own child for money then immediately tells them to get out?  We weren't here 2 weeks before she started attempting to kick me out.  And of course, the money I had is gone so I have no where to go and because of that a judge gave temporary custody of my two sweet babies to my loser, unemployed, alcoholic, ex without a driver's license.  My own mother caused me to lose custody of my kids to a completely unfit individual.  

So instead of my mother having my back she's got a knife in it.  Once I can get out of here and cut my losses I no longer want to see or speak to her again.  I couldn't imagine doing that to my children, EVER!  So, here's hoping I can get find a place, get my kids back, and cut her out of my life for good.  I'm thinking of putting my shit in storage and renting a room somewhere to save some money to get my own place.  And want to know the double whammy?  My ex TRASHED my credit so of course no one wants to rent to me. 

need some time to clear my head

Well, I'm finally in my new house but I'm taking a bit of a blogging break.  Something happened today that needs my full 100% attention.  To all my fellow Star Sampler gals, I'll be picking up where we left off in a couple months.  I deeply apologize for having to take a break but my family and kids need to come first.

My fellow Bee members....I'll still be doing the blocks and all but my communication in the flickr group will be limited. 

I'm truly sorry. 

ay yi yi

Good Lord where has time gone?!  It's darn near September!  Just a little update post on life.

Found a new house!  Yay!  I love it!  Comes with a pool table(!), a jacuzzi style bath tub with a TV in the basement bathroom, 120" projection screen theater, full size wet bar, massive back yard, 3 bedrooms, 3 full baths, and the best part?  Landlord pays ALL utilities (except cable & net) and pays for the lawn service!  Been busy packing, moving, and working.  Leaves me NO time for fun :(  Oh, and best part?  Basement is red, very easy to convert it to my red/aqua room!

Lost my camera somewhere.  Brought it to work because we see some interesting characters passing by on the streets.  Just so you know, I would *NEVER* take pics of my patients, just the goof balls on the street.  Kinda like the dude bustin' some mad moves and rockin' it out as he walked down the street.  Or the random lady sitting on a garbage can yelling at random people for random stuff.  Or funny license plates (I DOOBIE anyone??).  Or the 7 rigs we had posted at the same hospital, still trying to figure that out.  Might have fallen out in the ambulance, might have fallen out in my car (which is a pit right now due to the move), might have fallen out somewhere random.  Don't know, I'm a sad panda.

My iPod won't sync with my computer thanks to the damage the ex did to it when he threw his tantrum.  Double sad panda.

Got my little quiltie from DQS9 today!!! yay!  But can't take pics of it's awesomeness due to the above.  Made a different one for my partner because I ended up buying fabrics that totally fit her better than my original.

My cat scratched the crap outta my pooch :(  She got him real good on 2 spots on his back, he's a hurtin' dude, I feel so bad for him.  Thank God they're pretty superficial.

I decided to do a hexi quilt.  I swapped for some awesome fabrics, I need to do about 952 more for a 50x60 quilt.  Guess what I do when waiting for a call??  Yep, get paid to sew hexies!!!  How can my job not rock?

My car hates me I'm convinced of it.

I nearly burned my frozen pizza writing this blog post.

Went to see my friend @ his treatment facility where he's getting help for his alcohol problem yesterday and I must say that I'm so proud of him.  He looks SO much better than when I saw him last and he's on the path to a new life.  He's one of my best friends and I love him to pieces.  He's a fireman and used to be a paramedic and he is the one responsible for giving me the kick in the pants to follow a life long (well, since about 6th grade) dream of mine to become a paramedic.  He let his license lapse but one of his goals is to get it back.  Right now he lives close to me, but once I move I'll be about 90 mins away and that makes me cry, I'll miss being able to just go over to his house on a whim.  His face absolutely lit up when he saw me yesterday and I hope he realizes I'm totally on his side.  I met him working at the nursing home a couple years ago.  I never thought I'd meet such a great person at work.  


Realized my ex is, and always will be, an ass bag.  That's all I'm sayin' about that one.  


Well, if you don't hear from me for a little while you'll know I'm still alive!  Now I'm off to Home Depot to get more keys cut before they close!

i guess we need a winner, huh?

And random.org gave us:

which belongs to:

Please email me using the contact me button at the top!  Congrats!

oh how I love my job!

***if you're looking for the giveaway click here!***

I got a job as a paramedic about a month ago, and finally now, after jumping through all the legal hoops and orientations, and stuff like that I'm now doing precepted shifts to change my license to a different system.  Well, even though I'm doing patient care I cannot be in the back of the ambulance during transport due to the systems rules & regs so I drive. 

Driving lights & sirens isn't as easy as it looks but man oh man do I *LOVE* the dirty looks I get from pedestrians trying to have a phone conversation and I pass by and just ruin their chats!  Or from other motorists when I have to drive into oncoming traffic, and yes, that happens A LOT!  Or the puzzled looks I get when I stop at a red light (company policy plus some people are plain idiots and think they don't have to stop) then continue.



But I have to say I absolutely LOVE the construction worker today that dropped everything to direct traffic and move the cars in front of me out of my way that were stopped b/c of a red light.  Mr. Construction Worker--thank you! you made my day a little better & got me to my patient a little quicker.

So, a little note from your friendly paramedic quilter--always pull to the right when you see/hear lights and sirens.  If you're in a left turn lane STAY there! I'll go around you, please do not make a left turn in front of me.  And if you're a pedestrian on foot please stay on the street corner, if you're on a bicycle and riding on the street please act like a car and pull to the right. 

modern fabrics--a list

How often do you see swaps or projects out there that require modern fabrics?  What exactly constitutes a modern fabric?  is it a designer? is it a color scheme? is it certain pattern? style? trend?!  Your head, probably like mine was spinning when I first heard the term 'modern fabric'. 

Typically when I think of 'modern' fabric the first thing that pops into my head is not your gramma's typical fabric!  No more drab muted colors (mauve and seafoam anyone?!), dainty flowery prints, intricate detailing, or limited choices.  Modern, to me, entails bold colors, contrast, daring color combinations, clean lines, simple detailing, and trendy.  Birds and owls are hot trends right now, therefore I would consider that more modern.  Polka dots are timeless but I would consider an organized polka dot pattern modern, or a polka dot pattern with more than 2 colors.  Big polka dots are also hot right now.

Color combinations is another thing that I think dictates modern.  A fabric with lime green, red, pink, and grey is not exactly something that sounds pretty on paper but when you see it, it looks stunning.  Red and aqua is another hot color combination.  Anything turquoise is hot too.  Colors are bright and vibrant.  

Certainly when you hear a designer's name it automatically sets off that lightbulb that it's a modern fabric.  Other designers that might not set off that 'modern lightbulb' can most definitely be considered modern, I think there are some designers that can create both modern and traditional fabrics.  And one thing to remember is that what's considered modern today might not be considered modern 5 years from now. 

I also think that when you pair modern fabrics with some very traditional style patterns you can create a gorgeous masterpiece and we're finding more and more of that happening.  My own Star Sampler Quilt Along is made using some very traditional patterns but as I'm putting together the tutorials along with the fabrics (I'm using Tula Pink's Plume) I'm stunned at how fabric choices can really up the ante so to speak. 

When trying to decide if something is a modern fabric or not ask yourself a couple questions.  How would I classify this color? is it bright, muted, drab?  What about the print on the fabric itself? is it fresh? timeless? crisp? unique?  Is it trendy? 

And remember this, not all modern fabric has to break the bank.  I have found some great quality fabric that fits all the modern 'standards' at Hobby Lobby for less than $5 a yard. You can also have fabric that looks modern and is of a crappy quality.  Just remember, when swapping, use high quality fabrics!

I hope this has helped to de-mystify modern fabrics for you!