I saw a couple posts from Ryan and Kerri about keeping it real...scary stuff. So here goes.
I was born and raised in Eastern Washington state, 3rd of 6 kids to a logger and stay at home mom. My dad had been married once before and I have a sister I have never met. My dad, younger brother and I were all in the Navy (me in the reserve), I as a corpsman for the Marines. I was also working full time at nite in an ER as a tech, going to nursing school during the day, raising children and busy being a wife at the same time...multi tasking at the optimum! We moved to Texas 5 years ago. I love thrifting (yeah Kerri) and have my own cart for the flea market! I cringe at shoe prices but think nothing of spending hundreds on quilt fabric, ahh, for the shop, yeah, for the shop, lol!
I quit smoking 3 years ago, after a 42 year habit. I love ice cold watermelon and hate okra. My idea of a deliciously fun time is an old timey tent revival with singing and testifying.....you know? I am hopesly addicted to popscicles and have great grand children. I have 1 bff and collect antique quilts and quilt tops. I collect feedsacks and LOVE finding unfinished projects.
I love to can vegetables, pickles and jam. I love to cook from scratch and have begun using herbs for the first time and love it! I make really good gravy and suck at pie making. I used to sing to my grandmas cow...we were both pregnant at the same time, she freshened before me. I've bleached my hair for over 25 years and refuse to stop. My ears are pierced and nothing else. I have NO tattoos. I want to wear full frilly skirts and cowboy boots. My favorite sporting event is anything cowboys do. I hate social clubs. I can do push ups. I sit with my animals when they die and have viewings with funerals for them. (call me Ryan, we can chat). I do not believe in coincidence, but in karma. I love hot tea and dislike chocolate. I want a pink refrigerator and stove...real bad!
I have been sick for a little over 2 years. I have good days, bad days and really sucky days. I don't like to talk about it, for real, I don't. I have usually held 2-3 jobs at a time. Now I can't even hold 1. I can't go to the doctor, because I have no insurance. I have no insurance because I have no job. I finally broke down and saw my doc 2 weeks ago. I had a few lab tests. The bill came: $800.00. So you think I'm going back? Oh hell no.
Oops, I digress. So here's the deal, I found this little 68"x 93" quilt top. The white is broadcloth, I am not kidding, weighs a ton. Lots of seams are loose, partially hand pieced and then machine pieced. Not anything about this quilt top is right. But, I have had it for a long time and I know I will never do anything with it. I need to purge. If you can convince me that you will love her and you have a good relationship with a LAQ that has a wonderful sense of humor...comment. I don't think, as a full quilt, that you could easily machine or hand quilt this piece. Perhaps tied, or long stitch? Maybe cut in half for 2 little quilts? I tried to fold it the long way and it ripples!
I will let you know on Valentines Day who gets this little beauty, lol. If you live out of the USA, I will split the postage. Seriously, weighs alot! Of course I wouldn't feel right just sending this top, so I would like to sweeten the deal with a Charm pack, some fat quarters, something to take your mind off this quilt top! Now make me laugh, give me a reason to add more goodies to the box. And no, I did NOT make this top! The pic on the right shows the back, if you look close you can see the un-skilled sewing.
Now you can get real on your blog too. Don't forget to comment and make me laugh...cheers, Elaine
Well for keeping it real...I was born in South Africa and lived on a farm. My family and I moved the day after Valentines Day, 11 years ago, to the US.
ReplyDeleteI love candy and so I am always trying to loose a few extra pounds.
I love the pink and white quilt and as a longarmer I will have so much fun with the machine quilting...this is such a generous give away.
We recently moved and one of the bedrooms has pink wallpaper. I was about to pull it down as I like different colors and found out my MIL is coming to live with us. As far as keeping it real...I love my MIL I really do, but never thought of her living with us as she has two daughter that live near her in Texas.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts are if she loves pink and has pink wallpaper and a pink quilt she might stay in her room more?!
I am in the market for a long arm machine.
Fun post, except the insight that you've been sick for a couple of years and don't have insurance. Cute quilt, but don't count me in your giveaway. I too am in need of fab-reduction and it looks to me you have two good candidates ahead of me. But I did want to say hi....and I hope you get sunshine and good health soon.
ReplyDeleteSewCalGal
www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com
We're going with my entire family(8 adults and 5 kids) to Disney World at the end of March. At JiffyLube on Monday--while eating Chick-fil-a in the lobby, My 3 year old asks, "Is this Disney World?" The lady behind us said to say yes, and he'll never ask to go again!
ReplyDeleteThat was some crazy honesty in this post and kudos to you! This is not easy! Beautiful quilt top! I don't need it, but I want it!
Well how fun is that, learning about you - being sick sucks for sure, I'm finding out I can't hold a job either! And no insurance.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to live frugally too, but I'm such a city girl I'll probably only continue to dream! And I hate to cook - I only have a kitchen cuz it came with the house, and I'd LOVE to use all the cupboards for fabric storage! Couldn't they just hold a ton??? Who needs dishes anyway??? I'll take that pink kitchen - oh how I'd love a pink kitchen! My sons and husband would NEVER go for that. Especially since my husband is the cook around here.
I would love to win that quilt top - my girlfriend recently got a frame and machine, and I have a feeling that if I don't give her something to do, she'll never use it!
Good (early) morning, Elaine - Vickie here from Sand Flat Farm...
ReplyDeleteCan't sleep - I have the crud, coughing, stopped up, so I thought I'd say hi again.
Wow, you are really being real! And I'm sorry to hear that you've been sick for so long. I hope it's something that can be fixed. You've led a quite interesting life to be sure, girl. Lucky you with grandchildren and great-grandchildren, too! I don't have any yet but would LOVE to!
Don't put my name in the pot for the quilt top. I have 3 tops in my closet waiting for me to do something with. I think I ruined one of them. I had some Vintage Soak that I needed to clean one of them cuz it was dirty and had some stains. It was a beautiful bow-tie mostly done in blues. I soaked it, drained the washer, and thought I'd stick it in the dryer for just a few minutes and soften it up a bit. Well, when I went to take it out a bunch of the hand-sewing had come undone. Short of me sitting down and hand-stitching the whole thing back together underneath, it's unquiltable now. I'm so mad at myself. But I did learn something, huh! I think even if I did try to handstitch it, the fabric is old and it's raveling out in places from being washed and dried. I should have waited and washed it AFTER quilting it real tight I guess. Oh well, you live & learn.
My sister is a big quilter. She used to own a quilt shop in Abilene with another lady. I cannot match her tiny little stitches. But she got me started years ago. It's been awhile since I've done one. It's been awhile since I've done anything for myself. With working, getting kids out of college, MIL in nursing home, trying to get her house ready to rent out, etc.
Good to hear from you Elaine. I'm sending up prayers for you, your "birthday present" from earthmama, and hope that your health gets better! Take care!
So sorry to hear you have some pretty bad days. Thanks for sharing about your self. Have you tried to apply for disability?
ReplyDeleteI love that quilt but don't put my name in the pot. I am trying to get rid of a lot of stuff too. We hope to downsize within the next couple years.
My daughter and I love to watch bullriding. She went to her first show last weekend with some girlfriends.
My dad was married before my mom and I have a half sister I have never met and a half brother I met when I was about 10.
How can I make you laugh? A knock knock joke.
Knock, Knock,
you know the drill, your turn.
Dwayne, your turn again
Dwayne the tub I am dwoning!
this is the only joke I know. hope you laughed.
Happy Valentine's Day!
OMG! You had me laughing and crying all at the same time. Wouldn't you know, you quit smoking and then get sick ! Sometimes it seems you just can't win. I am a brand new blogger (less than a month) and I keep wondering how much to REALLY share .... hi-5 to you for letting it all out there. That quilt is cute, but I cannot be a contestant for it as the reason I am blogging is to try to get my creative/quilt- groove going.
ReplyDeleteAfter a series of crappy family situations, then death of my parents and my hubby now disable .... I just stopped stitching and quilting a few yrs ago. I too am sick (fibromyalgia & diabetes) and can barely maintain my job as an RN so that my hubby & I can have health insurance. But a lot of good the insurance does when docs don't know what to do for either one of us. I desparately need to create again .... it is what has kept me sane since I was quite young.
Anyhow, I say all of this to you to tell you ... you are not alone and you are an inspiration to all of us. I will add you to my prayers and join your blog ... am anxious to hear the rest of your story and to see what happens to the quilt top.... I hope whoever gets it sends you a pix of the final result.
Do you have any kind of medical support .... not even thru veterans?