LaVieEnRosie

Floor tales...

Did you miss me?

Nah... didn't think so.  But I'm back anyway.

I was going to tell you all about the floor this past weekend but after being "freed" from my on-call shift on Saturday, my manager asked if I could come in early Sunday morning for a floor-set change instead.  Cool!  I've done one or two of those and they're kind of fun.  It's "good work" because I always feel like I've really accomplished something.

I think I forgot how hard it can be... especially when there aren't any men around to move the furniture... and especially when we have to move some of that heavy furniture into our off-site storage area.  By the time I got off work, I was too tired to move... much less type.

That's "floor tale" number one.

Floor tale number two is about the staining of the concrete.  That was finished about a week ago and we were able to start moving furniture back into the family room last Thursday.  We're not fully "operational" yet but there isn't any rush as I'm kind of enjoying the lack of clutter. 

That will be back soon enough.

I did promise to show you the process of staining the floor, so here goes. 

After the carpet was removed, the concrete ~ the foundation ~ was cleaned, repaired, patched and sealed.  Then a thin coat of a concrete/polymer compound is laid down.

Pretty boring, isn't it?

The purpose of this is to give the acid stain something to bond to, and to provide a smooth, even surface for the stain.  The cool thing is that there is a texture to this, it isn't perfectly smooth like some concrete floors.  When we first had this done, I thought I wanted it super smooth ~ that almost glossy look ~ but I've realized that's not a good thing for someone who spends as much time in socks as I do.  Too slippery.

Once this has set, then the first layer of color is applied.

The color is built up in layers using different colors. 

 

The good news?  You can keep adding to it to give it depth, texture and more color.

The bad news?  You aren't exactly sure how it's going to look until it's done.  And you can't undo anything.  You can go darker but you can't go lighter.

It dries and then you add more color.

The color is put down using one of those big cannisters with a spraying wand.  Laying down the color takes a few minutes, then you wait an hour or two for it to blend, mesh, dry and mellow a bit.  Then you add more color... if that's what you want.

The variation in color and depth is also affected by the thin coat of concrete/polymer accepting the acid stain to different degrees.

To make it even more fun, change the lighting in the room and the color of the floor changes.  It was amazing to see how different it looked in the morning than in the evening.

This is the color taken early morning, without drapes, the morning the finishing sealer was applied. 

And this is about what we have now ~ still without drapes and still mid-morning.

Now that the drapes are back up, the color is a bit mellower. 

It's a little bit "rustier" than I had thought we were going for but here's the thing, anything darker and I think it would have been too dark for everything else in the room.  The most important thing is that my Mom loves it ~ she thinks it's perfect. 

I think Rosie loves it too ~ she's certainly been having fun playing on it.  And laying on it. 

So that's where I've been... or rather, what I've been doing. 

I did get some work done too.  I finished my quilt for the Year of Schnibbles ~ I think I'm going to call mine Winter Nights.  I changed one teeny tiny little thing on the quilt... and I made it a little bit scrappier, about 75 different fabrics.  I also finished the pattern covers for two new Schnibbles patterns, now I just have to finish up writing the patterns.  And I finished the quilts for four more Schnibbles. 

Geez... no wonder I'm still tired. 

See you Thursday ~ I'll have a few quilts to show you.  Or quilt tops. 

 

 

No fear of flying...

I love flying geese.

I know... you're shocked.  Never would have guessed. 

My friend, Nicole of Sister's Choice, recently wrote about her experience with the Fit to be Geese ruler by Open Gate Quilts.  It is my most favorite ruler ~ it is the only ruler I use to make flying geese.

I know... you're thinking that's not the method I include in the patterns.  No, it isn't.  I don't want anyone to ever have to buy a specific ruler to make a pattern.  If there is one I love and recommend, that's in the pattern.  But the pattern also includes a method that will work well depending on your quirks, idiosyncracies and bad habits. 

So how do the Fit to be Geese rulers work?

First, there are two rulers.  Both rulers make four different sizes of finished flying geese. 

Fit to be Geese Ruler ~ Makes 1 1/2" x 3", 2" x 4", 2 1/2" x 5" and 3" x 6" finished geese.

Mini Fit to be Geese Ruler ~ Makes 3/4" x 1 1/2", 1" x 2", 1 1/4" x 2 1/2" and 1 1/2" x 3" finished geese.

Both rulers come with a diagram showing how the geese are pieced and cut, the cutting sizes for all four sizes of geese and a free pattern.  (Monique is awesomely generous that way.)

Basically, everything is cut a skosh bigger and the pieced geese are trimmed to size.  Yes, it is like Eleanor Burns' ruler in that respect, but this ruler/method is faster and easier to piece.

Cutting.  Cut a large square for the large triangle in the flying geese unit and four small squares for the small triangles in the flying geese unit.  (I just showed one small square here.)

The big square is cut into quarters and the small squares are cut in half ~ both on the diagonal.

This is where the triangles will be going.

The side triangle is placed lining up the 45 degree corners as shown ~ and no, I didn't get mine lined up perfectly for the picture.  The edges of the triangles should line up... though it isn't the end of the world if they don't. 

Scant 1/4" seam allowance ~ stitch along the edge to join the two triangles.  Yes, the edge is bias but don't worry about it... it won't be painful. 

I like starting at the tip of the 45 degree angle point ~ the point at the top of the picture ~ for this first side.  Why?  When I start at this point, I only have to sew into the 45 degree angle point once. 

Press the seam toward the small triangle ~ no matter if the small triangle is light or dark.

The point of the triangle will stick up quite a bit but don't worry about it ~ leave it for now.  Line up the second small triangle as shown.

Starting at the little "v" at the top, stitch a 1/4" seam allowance along the edge to join the second small triangle to the big triangle as shown.

Now trim the little point.

Press toward the small triangle and prepare to trim.

And, please, use a rotary cutter with a sharp blade.  It really does make this part so much easier... I promise.

Two little things to tell you first. 

Do you remember the NexCare Flexible Clear bandage tape I told you about some months ago?  I love it for this ruler ~ you can see some of my strips on the underside of my ruler in some of the pictures.  You will need something to keep this ruler from sliding since it is sitting on a stitched seam.

Second, do you see the little purple square?  That is a small square of Post-it notes stuck to the underside of my ruler.

From your stack of Post-it notes, take a stack of about 6 to 8 sheets ~ do not separate them!  Remove them as one thick sheet.  At the top of the page ~ the edge with the most sticky on it ~ trim about a 1" x 1" square.  There isn't any "magic" to the 1" x 1" square.  It is just the size that works for me.  It's big enough to do the job but still small enough not to get in the way. 

Lining up the corners of the square with the 90 degree angle at the top of the ruler, stick the sticky side of the Post-it notes to the underside of the ruler as shown.  This creates a little ridge that will allow you to quickly line up the ruler by "bumping" up against the seams of the small triangles.  It also keeps the ruler from shifting as you cut.

With the diagonal lines placed right on the seam line ~ and the little Post-it square nestled up against the seams, line up the ruler with the pieced goose as shown.  Then trim the top edge to 1/4" seam allowance.

Turn the pieced goose and line up the cut edge with the red dotted line for the corresponding size of geese ~ it will be on the right as you look at this picture.

When the placement of the pieced goose is vertical, use the red dotted lines to line up the pieced goose.

There will be a red dotted horizontal line going right across the point at the top of the pieced goose.

Trim the top edge.

Note: When you are trimming geese, you will always be working in the center of the ruler.  Trying to line up the ruler as shown below isn't correct and will result in disaster... okay, not really.  But you'll probably have to make another goose.

Now that you've made two cuts, you've got two edges that can be lined up.  When the placement of the pieced goose is horizontal, use the black solid lines to line up the pieced goose.  The edges that have been trimmed will be lined up with the lines.  If the edge hasn't been trimmed yet ~ like the edge on the left side ~ then the piece will extend past the solid black line.

Trim the bottom of the goose.  And don't worry about where the Post-it square lines up ~ it won't line up with anything and it doesn't need to. 

One last turn... but now it's easy.  Line up the three cut edges with the red dotted lines on the ruler as shown. 

Remember, when the placement of the pieced goose is vertical, use the red dotted lines to line up the pieced goose. 

And that's it. 

If you're using the Mini Fit to be Geese ruler for the 1 1/2" x 3" finished geese, the cutting is even faster.  (It's the same when you're making 3" x 6" finished geese with the original Fit to be Geese ruler.)

Using the same tape and Post-it note aides, place the Mini ruler on the pieced goose as shown.

Trim the top and at least one of the sides.

If you're ambidexterous, you can trim three sides before you turn the goose around. 

Flip the goose and line up the two cut edges with the corresponding lines on the ruler.  And don't worry about where the Post-it square lines up here. 

Trim the remaining two sides.

And that's all there is to it. 

How quickly can you make the geese for Winter White with this ruler?

I chain-pieced 72 triangles, pressed them, chain-pieced them through for the second triangle, trimmed the little tip and pressed them again in less than one hour.  It then took me a little less than an hour to trim them all to size.  While I've been using this ruler for awhile, once you get used to piecing the geese this way, you'll be doing them just as quickly and just as easily. 

I promise. 

And just so you know... I was a little slow to get on board with this ruler.  Monique gave me one when she debuted it at Market since she knows how much I love flying geese.  I was using the Eleanor Burns ruler at the time and loved the results... why would I switch?  Since I couldn't tell her I'd tried it when I hadn't, I pulled it out when I started making Due South.  After making all those geese, I was hooked!  And totally in love with the ruler... which is why Due South she was the inspiration for the name of that quilt.

Due South was the television show about a very cute Canadian Mountie who came south to Chicago.  Monique is a Canadian who now lives outside Chicago and she's pretty cute too.  She's also a dog-person, she has two Old English Sheepdogs named Maple and Glory. 

And there you have it. 

Tent City...

It's going to be my new address.

You've heard of it... it's the "temporary" jail facilities for Maricopa County. 

I committed a crime today.

: 

The mailman delivered a nice large manila envelope to my address today.

:

It had my name on it.

:

 

:

But it clearly meant for another Carrie Nelson.  

:

:

Uh, yeah, right. 

My Mom thought maybe I had sent something to myself.

Rosie?  She just wanted to know if there were any peanut butter biscuits in the envelope. 

The return address provided some help, except that now I'm thinking that maybe Miss Simplify over at the TB World Headquarters has had a few too many Route 44s. 

Since I'm a nosey-kind of girl and I hadn't gotten any other mail today, I opened the package.  Besides, if I was going to give it back to the mailman so he could deliver it properly, I needed to do my civic duty and make sure that the package didn't contain anything breakable, liquid, perishable, hazardous or flammable. 

It didn't. 

But I'm keeping everything in the envelope.

Stealing someone else's mail... that's a crime, isn't it?

But I think you'd understand... and I know for a fact that you'd have done the same thing!  Are you going to tell me that you would have sent back three gorgeous new quilt patterns and a wonderful bib pattern for little folks? 

And the most beautiful camera strap ever... made out of Rouenneries fabric?

In legalese... it's called the "justification" defense. 

Or I could use an insanity defense... as in, I'd have been nuts not to keep this!

It's a perfect fit too.

Whatever you do... please don't tell anyone that they sent all these beautiful goodies to the wrong house because I am SO keeping them! 

Thank you, Camille.  

Until today, I didn't know that perfection comes in a manila envelope.   

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Everything is going well with the floor, in the past two days, the floor has been patched, sealed, scraped, vacuumed and washed. 

By tomorrow afternoon, the first application of color goes down.  Since that is a layer by layer process, and it gets tweaked as it goes along until you get it where you want it, that can take a couple of hours or a day or two.  Then the sealer and we're done ~ and we should be moving back in by this weekend. 

Rosie thinks we should just leave the room the way it is.

There is plenty of room to play.  And I think she likes the echo.  (That's her stuffed pumpkin ~ she loves Halloween, especially the "treat" part.)

Bye for now...

 

Popcorn...

Not Orville's.

The yucky kind.

This kind...

Whoever thought this was a good idea was wrong.  They never lived with it... they never tried to clean it... they never tried to paint it... and they sure as heck never had to remove it.

I know why popcorn ceilings were "invented"... because it was a fast and easy way to hide the flaws created by a slap-dash installation of sheetrock for ceilings.  It hid a multitude of sins... or at least, that was the idea.

So guess what I did on Labor Day?

And after scraping, my Mom and I had to "sweep" up and bag up all the plaster-stuff from the carpet/floor ~ more on that in a moment...

We filled three garbage bags with this plaster popcorn stuff... and that doesn't include the stuff still in the carpet, my hair and just floating around in the air. 

Rewind... after getting home from my trip last Monday, I spent the week moving all the "stuff" out of the family room, including the furniture.  My computer is on the kitchen table... the television is in the entry hall... there are boxes, bins, baskets and stacks of "stuff" everywhere, and the bookcases are on the patio...

Since the contractor was going to be removing the carpet anyway, they decided to use it as a drop-cloth as it would do the best job catching all the plaster stuff from the ceiling. 

I scraped off the popcorn ceiling on Monday, and yes, I did it myself because it isn't that difficult a job... well, all except for the part about climbing up and down the ladder all day to reach the 15 ft. ceiling.  A couple of hours on the stairmaster would have been easier.  To have it professionally done means about $450.00 for an asbestos test in addition to the cost of actually having it done, whereas nobody cares if I do it.  Yes, I did wear a face-mask thingie... most of the time.  Truth be told, I was more worried about the ladder... I don't like ladders.  Mostly because I tend to forget where I am and then lean too far in one direction while completely forgetting that I'm on a ladder. 

The good news is that this is what the ceiling looked like by a little after 6:00 pm on Monday...

I ordered pizza for dinner.  No way was I cooking anything! 

It's been kind of crazy week since then but the painting is done and the carpet is being removed later today.

On Monday, they start with the floor.  I'm having the concrete refinished and stained.  We've done it in a couple of rooms so far and it is absolutely awesome.  That should be done by Friday ~ which will mean a hit-and-miss week with the computer since my computer cable connection is in the family room. 

Next weekend will mean moving back into the family room although some of it will wait until the new rug and my desk are delivered.  And the sofa... that comes in about two weeks too.  As long as the television and DVR are set up and working in time for the season premiere of NCIS and House, it's all good.  Priorities!  I know mine!

And you thought my not going to Fall Market meant I was taking a vacation? 

I'm off... I need to finish before the contractor arrives to take out the carpet! 

Have a good weekend!

Click your heels...

There’s no place like home.  Dorothy knew it.  Toto knew it. 

Though I have to tell you, the weather in Kansas and Missouri was so much nicer than it is here right now.  It was 104 yesterday, and it’s supposed to be about the same today.  I think the highest temperature I saw on my trip was 74. 

I’m catching up… my bags are unpacked and put away. The laundry has been done and okay, it’s waiting to be put away.  I’m sorting through the last of the mail and sending out some orders.  And my quilts and some “stuff” I bought will be here on Friday, courtesy of FedEx. 

I bought this card at the FedEx office in Lee’s Summit while dropping off my boxes… the card is by www.rachaelhale.com

Rosie used to be this cute...

Okay, she is still this cute... though definitely not this small.  And she does still sleep on her back.

So where was I this past week? 

Kansas and Missouri.  I flew into Kansas City last Tuesday and was picked up by a very lovely lady from the Starlight Quilt Guild, Renee Arnett.  Renee helped me with my bags ~ I don’t travel light ~ and drove me to my hotel to off-load, then on to Prairie Point Quilts in Shawnee, Kansas. 

After arriving at the shop and doing a wee bit of shopping ~ oh please!  You’re in a gorgeous quilt shop filled with beautiful fabric… what are YOU going to do?  And I had to peek at what Alma was buying so that I would be able to re-create whatever it is she’s going to make with the gorgeous fabric she was buying!  Yes, THAT Alma… she was in the shop when Renee and I got there.  After ogling her fabric and visiting for a few minutes, we let her make her escape and be on her way home.  I'll miss seeing Barb and Alma in Houston but I am so looking forward to the new book Blackbird has coming this Fall ~ I can’t wait!

One quick thing ~ I didn't take any pictures inside the shops I visited.  I don't like to take pictures without asking and I don't like to ask since I don't ever want someone to feel bad about saying "no"... or worse, feeling like they have to say "yes" when they usually don't.  If you want to see inside the shop, check out the shop websites.  Most have lots of interior pictures... and you can always check out the Quilt Sampler.  All four shops I visited have been featured in past issues of the Quilt Sampler.

After dinner with Carol and Renee, I did a presentation for the Starlight Quilters Guild of Shawnee… basically a trunk show of quilts and stories.  Doing these kinds of presentations is always hard because I’ve learned that quilters would rather see a dozen actual quilts than 100 pictures or slides of quilts.  And if I try to pass along too much “information”, everyone’s eyes glaze over and it becomes a snooza-pa-looza.  Over the years, it seems as though most quilters want to know the same things… How did I get started?  How do I pick fabrics?  Where do I get ideas for quilts?  Why do I like pieced borders?  And Rosie… everyone wants to know about Rosie.  And really, it isn’t like making a quilt involves any kind of really deep “formation of the universe” kind of thinking. 

 So thank you to the very nice ladies at the Starlight Quilt Guild... especially the three who didn't really want to be in my picture. 

On Wednesday, the morning was gorgeous… just long enough for everyone to get their “stuff” inside.  Then right about the time we were getting started, it began raining… complete with thunder and lightning.  It made for a perfect “stay inside and sew” morning.  First up was Picnic.  Carol offered a kit with American Jane fabrics, and one done with Jo Morton fabrics that was dark and rich and… gorgeous.  You could also bring your own fabrics, and those quilts are going to be awesome too.  On Wednesday afternoon, we did Winter White.  There was a kit using the same Glace fabrics I had used, and there was a kit for a version in mocha brown, red/pink, peach, green and cream made with fabrics from Beach House and Patisserie.  The quilt is so wonderful that I got a kit.  Yes… I bought a kit for my own pattern!  It’s allowed.

 

(Pssst... If you're doing the Year of Schnibbles and you're looking for idea on what to use to make Winter White... I think there might still be a kit or two left.)

On Thursday, I went to The Curious Sofa in Prairie Village.  The only thing that disapointed me is that I'm going to miss the Halloween Open House this coming week.  It's going to be fabulous... I just know it.  And I'm going to miss it.  The shop is beautiful and well worth the trip... though I would suggest a large vehicle to haul your stuff home... or to the UPS Store or FedEx.  After a wonderful salad at Panera ~ grrrr… still no Panera in Arizona ~ and then I was on my way to Independence, Kansas for a two-day workshop at Lillie’s Classic Quilts.

I met Debbie Viets at my first Market in Houston in 2002, and my first trip to Kansas was in September 2004 when I was invited by Debbie to go to a quilt show she did at The Three Barns in Sedan, Kansas.  Because Debbie is one of my favorite people, and because that trip will always be one of my favorites, I titled the quilt we did “Three Barns”.  If the ladies in my class had gotten to see it, I think they would have liked it…

Yes, that’s right.  The quilt didn’t make it to Kansas. 

I’ll tell you more about the quilt and my colossal mistake later… let it suffice to say that while I made it to Independence, my quilt was in Phoenix. 

Ugh… my head starts pounding just thinking about it.

But because the ladies in my class were so amazing, and because Debbie and Marilyn, Eve, Becky, and Lisa were all so amazing, I think everyone still had a terrific time.  And it looks like we’re going to do it all over again next year… well, all except for the part about my quilt staying home.  No repeats on that!

Sunday… back to Kansas City.  Yes, I had a rental car, a very nice Nissan Murano.  Quite a zippy little thing… and I love that pushbutton starter.  From Kansas City, I drove to Columbia, Missouri and a date with the Booneslick Trail Quilters Guild.  How can you not love a guild with that name?  I did a presentation on Sunday night and then a class on Monday with Short Story, one of the Schnibbles. 

Say Hi to the ladies of Booneslick Trail!

After class on Monday, I scooted over to Homestead Hearthin Mexico, Missouri to visit Sarah and Dolores.  Did you know that they are going to Fall Market with their first line of quilt patterns?  How awesome is that?  Their quilts are gorgeous and their shop is wonderful so I am sure they will be hugely popular and successful.

I drove back to Kansas City on Tuesday morning with two large duffel suitcases, a large Vera duffel carry-on, and seven boxes of “stuff” to ship.  While several boxes are on their way home, I also had to ship quilts to Michigan, Washington and I don’t remember where.  After dropping everything off at the FedEx Office location in Lee’s Summit, I drove about five miles to Quilter’s Station, one of my favorite quilt shops.

Every time I go there, I have this dilemma… I wish they were closer to me but I’m always a little bit glad that they’re not.  If they were closer, I could spend hours there finding just the right fabric for quilts I'm making, quilts I'm planning, and quilts I'm dreaming about.  My credit card would live there too.  That's the downside to being closer.

I found lots of wonderful fabrics to “fill-in” some gaps in my scrap-stash, a fabric from Renee Nanneman's Stone Cottage that I hadn't been able to find, two beautiful background fabrics, an old red Fig Tree floral that I thought I was going to have to do without for the rest of my life, and a terrific kit for one of my favorite Jo Morton quilts from Yesterday’s Charm, Cindy’s version of Autumn Song.

And that’s my trip.

Four great quilt shops... meeting lots of terrific quilters... playing with fabric and talking about quilts... making new friends and catching up with old friends... oh yeah, it's really hard work. 

One last thing I wanted to show you... Deborah of Fat Quarter Quilters sent me a picture of a quilt she made using my 4OT pattern and fat quarters from the gorgeous Rouenneries collection by French General.

I love this quilt... I think I may have to make this quilt...

There is going to be a kit... though you'll have to wait a few more weeks to get it.

Patience... it isn't a virtue I know well.

And yes, Rosie missed me. 

And yes, I brought her a present from Kansas City... some treats from a dog-bakery.