Free spirit Cutter

As I have mentioned, I'm working on making a bee blanket/quilt. I've decided to embrace myself. My mother calls me a free spirit cutter. Which basically means I couldn't cut a straight line if my life depended on it. I rely very heavily on my paper cutter. This creates a challenge if you want to quilt. Some may think I'm doomed as a quilter, but I decided to listen to my mother. She told me, once you get to the really fancy quilt none of them have straight lines, its about art not straight lines. She told me of this quilter, who extremely famous, and how she had a book of some of her art that I needed to see. At a past visit at my mother's house, she showed me a book about Rosie Lee Tompkins.
Here is some of her work.
After seeing her book I thought oh yeah I could do that (By the way, I don't think I could really do a quilt like that...), because it was the first time I have ever seen quilts that don't look like old stuffy lady things. I closed the book, flew back home. I really haven't thought of her since, except when I started the bee quilt and decided not to care if I cut it straight. So sure Kim said she approved but when she sees the finished product she might not.
Sure I could do the free spirit cutting, but the question is how does she get such emotion in her pieces. I mean she is much more of an artist than a quilter. Something I read about her compared her to Mark Rothko, an abstract painter, an artist who's work I also love. I'm sure Rosie Lee Tompkins work is the same way. So the question is how to I get from my point as a free spirit cutter to an artist. I'll probably never know, or develop/ try to develop that talent. My mother also tells fond stories of my young life as a cutter. Apparently I loved to cut and paste it was by far my favorite medium.

Needing a second opinion.

I'm in the process of making a quilt out of cords, and pajama pants. I need a second opinion.
Should I make the blanket, 4x7 basically really skinny.

Should I make it 5x5, which basically makes it an oversized baby blanket

Or should I make it 5x6, which would make it a good size blanket for a growing 2 year old.

But I'm short two blocks, the two pairs of pants ran out of material. But I'm planning on putting yellow cord border around the blocks before the binding, I could add two yellow blocks in the blanket. I don't know what to do please give me advice. Leave a comment, on what way looks the best. Or if you are a reader who doesn't leave comments email me. Something, I need advice.

Here is what the material looks like close up. The green pants where Kim's hopefully she approves of how I butchered her pants.

Reversible Necklace

This is my latest necklace. I made it with lapis beads, and a few turquoise beads mixed in. The charm came from Israel, my dad picked it out of me. It is reversible. Stars on one side, and...

I think its a Muslim symbol for the third eye on the other side.

Just kidding its not.

This is what the piece of paper that came with it said,

"The HAMSA: Meaning five in Arabic, the hand-shaped Hamsa is a talisman that can be hung on a wall, worn as a pendant, or be put on a key ring to ward off the evil eye. Originating in Saudi Arabia, it represents the hand of Fatima, daughter of the Prophet Mohammed. She is revered by Muslins, who believe she can protect them from misfortune. This talisman was adapted by Middle Easter Jews, and was gradually accepted by Jews of different origins."

I am very pleased with how it turned out.

Easter in my house

My sister sent me these peep bunnies a few years ago. I love them, they are so soft. I love edible peeps, especially stale.

I went to three different stores and spend hours on the internet for this easter bunny. I love him, but he was expensive so I had to think about buying him for a long time. That's why I had to drive to three different stores, by the time I decided I needed him, I had to search because other people liked him too. He not only looks so springy but he looks so classic to me.

These are the easter baskets my son picked out. They small which is good, and they were cheap. I think $2 a piece.

This is my chick dressed up like a bunny, that I begged my mother to let me have instead of having it at her house. Turns out they are selling this year at walmart for $2.50. I guess I didn't have to beg so much.

This is my other bunny, which I spent $2.50. He is my resin chocolate bunny. I actually don't like eating chocolate bunnies, but these resin things are all the rage this year. He is only about 4 inches tall, perfect size, any bigger and he would be gaudy.

As you can tell we love holidays in our house, at least I do.

When I told my husband what the easter bunny was getting for my son, he said why are you turning Easter into a present holiday? I said because it is, its a holiday, all holidays should be present holidays. Why didn't you get me anything for Martin Luther King Day?
I was raised believing easter was a present holiday.
But not a big present holiday, just a present under 10 bucks, and some candy.

Green Holidays

I really like St. Patrick's Day, I think its because its green. Maybe its because of my middle name. Who knows? I wanted a Lucky sign I saw at the grocery store, but it was $10 and my husband said I could make something better than that for cheaper, so I made this instead:

This is my door sign, I bought for $2.50

This is the pillow I designed but my mom was actually the one who embroidered it 2 years ago.

Nap please

Crafts waiting upon my creation.
I know hobbies are suppose to make you happy, be relaxing, something you enjoy. But sometimes they are overwhelming to me, because I think deep down being overwhelmed gives me that buzz feeling.
Here is the list:
Humanitarian Blanket
Finish my St. Patty's decoration
Rag Quilt
Alphabet Squares
Spring clutch
Wall Quilt
Bee pant blanket

And really all I want to do every day lately is either take a nap or watch a movie.

Here is the real problem, my sewing machine sounded about as loud as the train that goes by outside my window. My mother told me I needed to oil it, well my husband is super nice, and did it for me, because I am a moron and couldn't find the directions on the back cover of my instruction manual. So now its all greased up, and it is still loud, I don't know if its because my sewing machine is around 40 years old, or if it needs more than oil. I can't remember what it use to sound like. I don't want to take it in to the bernina store if I don't need to, but I don't want it to break because I didn't take it in to get a tune up when it needed it. What am I to do?

My hubby's favorite.

I referred to my husband late birthday meal, in this post. Referred is the key word, the post was not about the meal, I just referenced Swiss Chicken. Here is the recipe:

Swiss Chicken
2 thin slices Swiss Cheese
4 chicken cutlets (1/4” thick)
2 tbsp. flour
1/2 tbsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. butter or margarine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 tsp. dried oregano

Cut each cheese slice in half; place 1 half on top of each cutlet. Starting with a short end, tightly roll up cutlets, jelly-roll style. Tie securely with string.
On wax paper, combined flour pepper, Mix well. Add cutlets; toss gently to coat.
In a large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add cutlets; cook, turning frequently, until golden, about 3 minutes.
Add broth, juice and dried oregano to skillet. Increase heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 –12 minutes. Place on a serving plate; remove strings. Serve with rice.

This was the meal I first made Brent when we were dating. Coincidence that it is his favorite? I think not, turns out my husband is highly sentimental. By the way, I was not one of those girls that cooked for him because we were dating and I wanted to impress him. He was spending the weekend at my parent's house, and my mother was out of town which meant the cooking was divided between my father and me. I cooked Sunday, he cooked Monday.