I Hope, I Hope, I Hope

Read a great post this morning over at According to Kelly and I couldn't agree more...

What about you?

In Stitches, From Laughter

O.K. Can I just say how much fun yesterday was?


A huge thank you to AnneMarie for organizing and having all six of us expats into her home for the whole day. Not to mention taking on board my babes and MaryPoppins. A big shout out to AnneMarie's DH, FarmerBoy, for all his hospitality!!

Thank you!!


We met at AnneMarie's house for a day of mingling and sewing.

Mingling: What a good group of gals. We had some serious laughs.

Sewing: Where's the seam ripper? That was heard 27 times every hour. Don't be surprised when we report not a single finished sewing project much to chagrin of Head Mistress Anne Marie despite her many threats and finger waggles.

But we did have fun in the process.

We really did not account for all the chatting that would distract us from sewing. Or the need to redo 112 wonky nine-patches.

Topics of conversation included:


How I met my husband. No variety there. With all having Irish husbands, 'pub' was the top surveyed answer.

How much we love Irish women. Right up there with wonky nine patches.
American foods. Gotta love that Mac'n Cheese at 6 Euros a pop; Betty Crocker for a fiver; to passed by the 7 Euro boxes of Lucky Charms.
US Postal Service. Puh-lease bring back the cheap boat service. The stoppage of economy post has created serious cutbacks on our care packages.

Key notes arising from the occasion include:

Do keep a bowl of Palmolive on hand for AnneMarie's inpromptu manicures.
Do educate Sherry on the merits of accurate seam allowances.
Do tell Alanna (below pic) to stop listening to Sherry as her project was a full half inch shorter than all the rest. She'd learn nothin' good from that one.
Do start Women-Over-Thirty Sorority Club for expats in Ireland.
Do nominate Jessica to initate/rush on all prospective members.

Unfortunately I did not live up the to the image of a stellar quilter as AnneMarie had painted. She could be heard several times shrieking, "I told these girls you knew what you were doing!"
Note the hand gesturing below.
(I've 16 more photos of similar hand wringing, but figure, in one day alone, Anne Marie has suffered enough of my shortcomings that I don't need to plaster blogville with the visuals.)



After botching the cutting instructions and ironing guidelines within two hours of arriving, I appointed myself the "What-Not-To-Do Example Gal'. This did not amuse our hostess.
I think I was even accused of theivery at some point. It's not my fault someone's perfect nine patch fell into my stack of wonky squares.


You know, I would've gotten away with it, had the Head Mistress known where to look for my quarter inch sewing foot earlier. Then I would have definitely had perfect seams.

Thank goodness my olive cheese bread was a hit. I was saved from unthinkable abuse (no doubt well deserved); I'm pretty sure I heard her breathe the words 'stick' 'torture' and 'get it right' shortly before distracting her with a slice of heaven.

There is 99% certainity that AnneMarie will replace our friendship with that of our latest protégé , Kim. Man, that girl was focused on her project. (See above) Teacher's pet, no doubt.

She very nearly gave us other silly quilters a bad name. For a fleeting second I thought twice about giving her her lift home.

Instead I think she might rub off on me. She's coming over to my place on Wednesday and we hope to finish our projects.

I'm serving my olive cheese bread for lunch. Just in case.

For Friends' Sake

Ok.

I'm sorry.

Alright?

I'm sorry.

I solemnly apologize for my last post poking fun at the inhabitants of the great loving green island of Ireland.

You see, this post was in honor of a few special friends. We're all ex-pats and we're meeting up over at AnneMarie's place to do a sew-in. Kim and gang and I are heading down this morning.
I'm so excited! Cue the Pointer Sisters.

And you see, I was so giddy with excitement that I forgot my manners. We like to laugh too, you know? Sorry paddies.

Though there is one Paddy who should be very sorry. And that is DH.

'Cause if I set out one more special bread to make special yummy on Friday night for Saturday's serving and IF I find someone's gotten the munchies after his Friday night pint again, I'm gonna clock you buddy!!!

Oh, and we all know that pint cost way more than 2.39!

You Know You're in Ireland When...

I ran into my new friend the other day....I was late from work, screaming hungry and needed to get a few ingredients for dinner. As I approached the checkout stands I'd thought I'd grab a sugar high snack for the road when I was reminded that I was in Ireland.

Where, Irish marketers, well, they haven't yet met the average consumer. 'Cause the checkout stands, them there are virtually void of any last minute purchase. A marketing mishap. Euros just waiting to be gobbled and yet remain a missed opportunity.

The checkout stands are barren, unwelcoming, kiosks ready for nothing but a clerk's scrutinizing glance wondering how and why I would buy something so oddly shaped and purple. It would mean they have to look up its species on the scanner. It would undoubtly cause them to gasp at the 2.39 that lit up the screen. I know, cause it's happened time and time again.

"Oh, dat's so dear! And t'was it?"

"Eggplant. Aubergine. It's a vegetable." I'd say proudly.

"It's good for you." Trying to convince the cashier it's hip to be healthy.

"Well, I should hope so at dat price." Still shaking her head at the price.

"Actually, it's less than a pint of beer and feeds the whole family." Take dat, Mrs. Ireland.

But before seeking out my free abuse criticizing clerk, I quickly turned on my heels in search of the candy snacks aisle.

And there I saw and took in my biteful of savory irony that would fill me with laughter for the whole drive home.

Only in Ireland.

A taster's stand with Grandma Shamrock handing out the 5.99 wine-bottle-of-the-day samples of wine in plastic dixie cups.
Free.
Unlimited.
In a mall, in a business park, where presumably all the shoppers are drivers.
In a country in the midst of a national debate on how to curb drivers from drinking.
Free wine tasting at the grocery store.
Go figure.

I reached into my bag to see if I had my camera. Frowning when I realized I didn't, Grandma Shamrock caught my eye and offered up a free sampling.

"No, no. No thank you."

I'll just take my 2.39 euros worth of mystery goodness and be gone.

In Case You're Wondering

The Makeover was revealed in time for Saturday's big shindig.

I managed. There are still a few items to put in place (a new TV, radiator cover...). But overall we are really pleased with the results.

Even DH endured and hung my shelves at the 11th hour. Those shelves are my babies on which I like to place precious things out of reach of children, display my cherished goodies--they haven't embraced a wall since San Francisco, so it's been happy days around here.

Check out the Before

And After...

Below my baby shelves are Babydoll, Cutiepie and Mary Poppins. Note Cutiepie's Michael Jackson glove--it's protecting the lone last Dora band-aid which in turn is protecting some scrubbed skin. God forbid Dora become unattached in a time of need for this little Ariel.

Anyway back to me.

Thirteen coats of primer paint and five coats of green and oatmeal-colored tone on the walls and chimney breast and we boast a new cozy sitting room.

Oh, we're not counting the two coats of green that had to be redone because I didn't clean the oatmeal (color, internets, not oats!) out of the rollers before rolling on the green.

At least, that was DH's theory. I'm ok with that accusation.

But only after my accusation that he used the wrong roller failed to win.

And since he did a bit of painting for me, I'm gonna allow his theory.

And so the unveiling at the Saturday party.

Too bad the Easter Bunny upstaged me with a gazillion (127, but who's counting?) hidden eggs.

I'm ok with that too.

Loose Ends

Planning for something big can put my mind in a thousand places. You know? And once that enormity has come and gone, it's then necessary to seek out all my scattered thoughts cause, let me tell you, my mind is like a sieve.

Yep, that's me, basket in hand, handpicking my sanity, one by one, until all is back in place.

Is it ever?

First thing first. The BirthdayslashEggHunt Party was a success. Mind you it will take me a day or two to organize the memories and decide which to report on first: the fun, the food, the friends, and the fumbles not to be relived...

Um, like blowing up the coffee maker. The clean up was nearly as fun as being stampeded upon by 29 youngsters high on chocolate hell bent on finding the first egg. It's a close second.

On Easter I decided to unwind with a little piecing for a commissioned order placed for one 'Baby Daisy'. Though the fabric is in her namesake, the additon of the lambs were fitting for the occasion.

This design was spotted of late on my favorite Pink Chalk Studio. Kathy over there gives credit to the original Bento Box creator Tracey Brookshier and so please consider same here. This is just the filmsy; more daisy applique and quilting to come.

It was really easy, I'm all about stripping. At present I'm preparing a boy's quilt with the same, but I'm taking the dimension down half an inch on all strips...I often think smaller pieces make the design even more delicate. And it's a cowboy motiff. Yeehaw, one of my favorites.

Is It Party Time Yet?

Asks the hostess of a super party.

Not quite. It's only 7:00 a.m.

Hang on to your boombox, Babydoll.

Rock on, soon enough.