March 8, 2009

Obviously, my writing schedule has been keeping me away from blogging.  In fact, it's been keeping me from a lot of things, such as cleaning my house.  

Generally, I kind of let things go when I'm deep in writing mode and then do a big clean up and out before beginning the next book.  However, for about the last three books, I haven't really had any break between one manuscript and the next so stuff has been gathering in little piles on every flat surface in my house.  Today, I decided I couldn't stand it any more and, in a fit of pre-Spring enthusiasm, decided to clear the clutter.

Dismantling the piles, I've discovered various letters (as yet unanswered), a couple of knitting and quilting projects (including a finished quilt top I thought I'd lost), bags filled with fabric for two baby quilts I should have started weeks ago, two birthday gifts I should have mailed in the same time frame, some dvd's, thread, rotary cutter blades, school schedules, invitations for events that have already passed, and sticky notes reminding me to do things whose importance now escapes me.  However, as I've been sorting out the piles, I've discovered that the biggest category of clutter is books.  Lots and lots and lots of books.  

I'm very interested in organic gardening and the slow food movement, and my bookshelf reflects that. Titles rescued from the pile include  -  ALL NEW SQUARE FOOT GARDENING, ROOT CELLARING, FOUR SEASON HARVEST, MICRO ECO-FARMING, and THE NEW ORGANIC GROWER.  I've read all of these. Hopefully, my garden will soon reflect it.

In the theological category we have, THE HOLY BIBLE (New American Standard Version) DESIGNING A WOMAN'S LIFE, A CHANCE TO DIE, JONATHAN EDWARDS, and THE ONE YEAR WOMAN'S FRIENDSHIP DEVOTIONAL.  

There's also a little non-fiction including THE DUCHESS, AMERICAN LION, ANGLER, LOST HISTORY, and AN INNOCENT - A BROAD, CHARLES DICKENS:  THE MAN WHO INVENTED CHRISTMAS, MORE TEXAS SAYINGS THAN YOU CAN SHAKE A STICK AT (for research, Mary Dell Templeton from the Cobbled Court novels, talks Texas most of the time), LITTLE HEATHENS, and various craft and pattern books including KNITTING THE EASY WAY and 50 FABULOUS PAPER PIECED STARS.

Finally, there is a large selection of fiction in various stages of completion including A COMMONER, HANDLE WITH CARE, SHANNON, SONATA FOR MIRIAM, THE SULTAN'S SEAL, MULBERRY PARK, A CHRISTMAS MEMORY (which points to the fact that yes, I truly haven't cleared the clutter since at least Christmas, if not before), THE SHIKSA SYNDROME, IT'S ABOUT YOUR HUSBAND, and THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE. 

Oh, and when I picked up my voice mail messages, I had one from the bookstore saying that the books I'd ordered - Eurdora Welty's ON WRITING (which I'm now thinking might not be the book I'd intended to order - Judy was that right?) and THE QUILTS OF GEES BEND.

So, I'm thinking it might be a good idea not to order any more books for a while.  At least until I can buy some more bookshelves.  

February 27, 2008

I know I promised to write about my quilting retreat as soon as I got back, but it has been a busy, buy week.  

I'm trying to be a very good girl about sticking to my writing goals (and I pretty much have to if I'm going to deliver the third Cobbled Court novel on time) and it has been paying off.  As of this evening, I'm actually 1500 words ahead of the 40,000 word goal I'd set to reach by this time.  If you're wondering, 41,500 words translates to about nearly 150 pages of text, or a bit more than a third of the way through the draft.  Not bad.

But, it hasn't left much time for keeping up with the blog.  Sorry about that.

The retreat was FABULOUS!  I had such a good time!  My friend, Carol, and I left for Vermont on Friday morning, giving ourselves plenty of time for the drive so we'd have an opportunity to visit a few quilt shops along the way.  My favorite was Tala's Quilt Shop in North Adams, Massachusetts.  If you're ever in that area, it is definitely worth a visit.  Carol and I did well there, doing our part to stimulate the economy.  

The brochure for the retreat said that check-in started at 3pm and the first activity at 6, so Carol and I turned into the parking lot of the Strong House Inn (www.stronghouseinn.com) around 4, thinking we had plenty of time to check in, unpack, set up our machines, and maybe even take a quick nap.  Not so. This was our first time at the retreat so we didn't realize that the others, most of who have been coming for years and years, got there at the stroke of three to pick out their "spot" in the sewing room and start quilting.  Yikes!  We'd only just arrived and already we were behind!

But, it all turned out well.  The other sixteen quilters were warm and welcoming, Mary and Hugh, the marvelous innkeepers were charming and kept us very well-fed, and our quilting instructor, Deb Tucker ( www.studio180design.net ) was a delight.  I learned so much.  I couldn't have asked for a better weekend.

On second thought...there is one thing that could have been better and that would have been for me to quit biting off more than I can chew.  You might recall that I decided to make the queen sized version of the Shadow Stars project and that I cut out 630 pieces of fabric before I left.  Well, when I got there I found out I hadn't even cut the borders yet.  At this point, I really don't know how many pieces there are in this quilt and I don't want to.  I do know that over the course of a whole weekend of quilting (including a night where Carol and I, the last ones sewing, closed up shop at 2am) I finished one border, two complete Shadow Star blocks, and 216 Flying Geese units.  Yes.  You read it right. 216. 

Needless to say, I don't have a picture of the quilt to post yet but when I do, you'll see it here. Right now, I'm headed upstairs to my quilting studio.  My husband is out of town.  My child is at a sleepover.  And I've got 216 Flying Geese units to sew into thirty six Shadow Star blocks.  Later! 

February 18, 2008

New England has enjoyed several days of bright skies and above freezing temperatures.  Nearly all the snow has melted. It's enough to make a person forget that winter still has a month to go and, even though I should know better, I found myself flipping expectantly through seed catalogs.  But, this evening the reprieve is over.  It's snowing.

I don't mind winter but this has been a long one with lots of snow, early and often.  And while you'd think I'd have the good sense to head south to warmer climes for an upcoming weekend away, on Friday I'm actually going north, to Vermont, for a quilting retreat.  My friend, Carol, and I have been planning this for weeks.  I've been very excited, so excited that my enthusaism may have gotten the better of me. 

The project we're doing comes in three size options: wall hanging, twin, or queen.  I chose queen.  What was I thinking?!  I started cutting the pattern out in earnest this afternoon and its taking absolutely forever!  And no wonder, when I counted them up I discovered there are 630 pieces to this quilt.  630!  All I can say is, thank heaven for rotary cutters.  Can you imagine me having to trace and cut 630 pieces with scissors, like our grandmothers did?  Just the thought would be enough to turn me into a full time knitter.                     

February 14, 2009

Happy Valentine's Day!

Unfortunately, my darling husband had to be out of town this weekend.  He felt guilty about me spending Valentine's alone so, before he left, he went out and bought me not one but three bouquets of flowers! Pink roses, red roses, and a mixed arrangement.  Very pretty and so sweet of him.  

And it's not like I'm completely alone today.  Oliver, my little cavalier king charles spaniel, seems to want to express his love by spending the day as close to me as possible - as in not NEXT to me while I'm working but IN my lap, even though the laptop was there first.  We may have to talk about that. Also, my oldest son called this morning to ask if I'd be his valentine and, after appropriate consideration, I said I would.  Yep, even though I'm spending the day without human companionship, I know I am loved.  

But, that wasn't always the case.  Like everyone else, I've suffered a few heartbreaks along the road.  If you'd like to read more about that, head over to www.quiltinggallery.com, where I'm guest blogging today about "Roses, Romance, and Sweet Revenge."  

Happy Valentine's Day to all my dear Reading Friends!    

February 7, 2009

Well, its one of those days - I got up, promising myself that since I really must resume working full-tilt on my next Cobbled Court novel on Monday, barely having completed the next Christmas novella, I would take today off.  But then I booted up my computer to find a full email box, a request from my editor, and remembered that I've got a guest blog to write for next week.  I started tapping away and next thing I knew, it was five thirty and I'd spent the whole day working.  Sometimes I'm not sure if the computer is a labor saving device or a laborious device.  

But, there are some nice things about computers.  Spellcheck is one of them.  And the fact that I have "met" all kinds of people I'd never have met without the computer.  Right now, I'm really "into" Twitter. I've never been much for the whole social networking craze, but I do like Twitter. It's quick and easy and gives me contact with the outside world.  Another writer I've met on Twitter, one who lives in England and like me, works at home and alone, says that for her, Twitter is like a trip to the water cooler.  I couldn't agree more.  So, if you want to hang out with me at work, get on Twitter and then do a search on my name so we can follow each other's "tweets".  (Don't worry, it really isn't very complicated.  If it were,then I couldn't do it.)

Another good thing about computers is that, sometimes, you find really neat stuff that you'd have missed otherwise.  One that was passed on to me recently is the link for the Artful Bras project, an exhibit traveling through South Carolina to raise awareness and funding for breast cancer research. These are so creative!  My favorite is the "Button, Bows, and Boobs" bra.  It's adorable, but I don't think it would look too good under a t-shirt.   Check out the link below (or paste it in your browser).  I guarantee it'll make you smile.

http://www.quiltersofsc.org/artfullbras/artfullbras.htm