Happy/Not Happy

I'm happy to report that my laptop is back in operation (after being operated on, much like me). My "T" key is still sticking (amongst other keys...like my space bar...really, space bar?!) but I can now access those photos that were stuck on my hard drive when hubs took apart the laptop. He has a Ph.D in electrical engineering, but I still had my fingers crossed...

Surprise! Not a scrapbooking layout. Nope, I finally found a quilt pattern that will make great use of my HUGE collection of 1930s reproduction fabrics (a favorite of mine, I've been "collecting" them for years, and Mom added from her own collection after she made a stunning applique quilt with some).

Michelle, one of my Friday night crop regulars, is always lamenting the end of (yet another) scrapbooking magazine while quilting magazines flourish like mosquitoes around a pond. I think we are down to one scrapping magazine (CK), while the new (!) Quilty recently caught my eye. Despite being connected to Fons & Porter (Quilty founder Mary Fons is, obviously, related), I bought the first issue in hopes it was more beginner-friendly and modern, rather than complicated with old-fashioned piecework like F&P (yes, this from a collector of 1930s repros. Irony -- dig it).

Before my laptop meltdown (adapter issues...the battery is not charging, and still isn't, despite E's excellent engineering...apparently this is a common issue with Dell laptops), I had put together eight 6" blocks. Each one features a solid and a 1930s print. The solids are from a 1930s collection from Keepsake Quilting. I purchased a sampler of quarter-yards back when I found a Dresden Plate quilt at an antiques market, looking for a good solid for the back of the unfinished antique quilt. Now I get to use the solids in my squares, along with my collection of prints. Fun!

Psst...that one down front is an "actual" 1930s print, not a repro. Mom got a collection from my Aunt Brenda when she was down in Franklin, TN visiting her, and gave them all to me to do something with. I'm delighted to sneak a few into this quilt!

The kids are at day camp this week, so amid the laundry, housecleaning, grocery shopping, etc. ETC. I hope to sew a few more squares. The lap quilt-size they feature takes 39 blocks, so I have some serious straight-line sewing to do.

Paper: Club Scrap (ancient!) and Studio Calico. Letter stickers: Memories Complete and October Afternoon. Journaling card, Elle Studios via Jessica Sprague (digital file print-out). Ribbon: Making Memories

 Now back to some regularly scheduled programming...scrapbook layouts! Hmm...seems I am a Jekyll & Hyde scrapper...I love throwing simple LOs like the one above together, with minimal embellishments, then I drink my elixir, turn around, and make something more arty-farty like this:

Paper: Pemberly (and antique music sheet) by Kerrie Lynn (SIStv). Letter stickers: Doodlebug, October Afternoon, Studio Calico. Patterned tape: 7 Gypsies. Journal spots: Jenni Bowlin, October Afternoon. Brads: Colorbok. Maya Mist in metallic blue. Vintage ribbon.

 ...and I love them both! Hipstamatic and  Instagram prints just beg for the mixed media look, don't you think?
We just got back from a trip to Washington, D.C. (hot, HOT, cRaZy HoT, as we were forewarned!) which was a delight. I should have brought better walking shoes, though. The last day (Tuesday) I missed going back to Air & Space because my legs refused to go any further. I sat at the carousel in front of the Smithsonian castle and slowly melted instead of taking the walk. Funny, I did not have any knitting or reading material with me. It was most relaxing to just sit & veg.

My favorite "horse" -- a dragon, of course.

If you've read this far, you might have noticed the new look on my blog. I am not happy with it. I spent a day working on a header to go with my old style, and in the process I lost the old background and the link that lead me to the site that hosted it. I must do some searching now to find that style site again, and find out WHY I could not upload my header. Does anyone know what happened to the Minima template for Blogger? I have a feeling when I find the style site, they will have a link to that old template. Maybe Blogger was having a bad day for uploading image files (NOTHING would load that day...which is how my old background got deleted...somehow...) If you know of a good site for Blogger template tutorials, hook me up. I need a re-design, BAD, and I can do it myself with a little help. Thanks!