firsts of the 2014

just over two weeks ago, I did this number on my finger...

tried to get it stitched, but the 3 women on call at the urgent care center for the hospital refused since if they stitched it, my finger would "not be pretty" afterwards.  I didn't care about pretty.  just that it holds together.  instead, they glued and taped my finger like this:

it's healing now, although still numb, tingly and there's still a scab as it's trying to stay closed.  the steristrips are gone and I am making a little more use of the sore finger.  fun nerve damage.  I don't recommend you have a knife slip and go straight into your fingertip.  ever.

I did finish one drawing a day or so after the injury.  it's got a mat, but the frame is ordered and I need to get a better scan/photo of it before I post.  I haven't completed or worked on a drawing period in a year and a half.  it felt wonderful to work on and finish.  plans for this year are to be much more productive than I have been in the last few years, especially the last one.  next week, i'm starting a class through MoMA to keep that motivation going.  12 years have passed since my last class and weekly art assignments on top of the lectures.

 

 

last night while waiting on scouts and my dad to show up, I finished piecing together the first QOV top of the year.  these are the remains of the block swap group's 6th blocks from last year and some moda one stars I have in a box.  I like the modern twist to this one and that nice red stripe of stars on the left.  my longarmmer was just assigned to me and i'll try to have it out tomorrow if i'm able to ship it with Houston's "snowmaggedon"  (HAH!).

here's to a happy 2014

hey there readers, if there are any of you left.  long time, no posts from me...  I had the whole shoulder surgery thing happen...again... and worse this time than the first time.  but i'm back at life for the most part again while I finish up the bits of rehab at home these days.  6 months down and 6 left to go until i'm cleared by my ortho.

in the meantime, I've been out hiking like a crazy woman while i'm geocaching and I started sewing/quilting again.  my piano was even tuned last weekend and we're getting reacquainted with each other after a long time of no use.  I even removed the drawing I started as distraction from bad juju in my marriage in 2012 and didn't touch after I received surprise divorce papers, only to replace it with a much smaller drawing to do and finish quickly.  the creative juices need to flow and start living again.  2014 needs to be a less stressful year and a happier year than 2012 and 2013 if I can have any say in that.

November crazy hiking for a single geocache looked like this:

then the one bridge we crossed seem to disappear...

and i'm seeing a trend here...

12+ miles in sam houston national forest on a cool-to-warm day.  temps started out in upper 60's and went to mid-80's by lunch.  bow hunters and regular hunters were out and we did cross one at our lunch break.  4 stops for a single geocache and it was fantastic.  i'm going back for a puzzle cache found about 3 hours into the hike that I have solved, but didn't pick up another day.

in early December, I shipped out these three QOV beauties:

 

 

the bottom one is the one my son designed all by himself using mostly some of the moda one star blocks we had given to us to use on QOVs.  i pieced it together for him and finished the top a few days before my shoulder surgery.  he was thrilled!!  so was this momma to see her son give so much to those who need a warm hug and smile.  the middle one was started a loooong time ago and there was so much frustration with the tedious paper piecing that I gave up on it for a couple years.  time to pull it out and finish, which I did.  these two QOVs were quilted more beautifully than I could have ever asked for by one of the QOVF regional coordinators.  a huge THANK YOU goes out to her.  the top quilt was one I sent out in the spring, but didn't receive for several months and had to wait to be bound until I could move enough to do so. 

 

 

i finished up the birthday quilt to my mom as well at thanksgiving time.  i still need to get some good pictures of it for my records and to email family who helped contribute drawings.  it's bright and super happy. 

 

other than those things, it's been scouts, geocaching and more scouts.  boo crossed over from cub/webelo scout to the troop a few weeks ago and he has started on his cooking merit badge.  he's already earned his scouter rank and is working on tenderfoot now.  big campout next week and i can't wait to hear his stories when he gets home from it.

 

so here's to a better and happier new year everyone!