Geek alert…

Today I literally spent the entire day on the computer.  For some people that might not be too amazing but since I do computer support all week, I tend to avoid the computer in my free time as much as possible.  However, I just got “in the zone” and ended up knocking off a couple of items from my To Do List.  Not only did I try out new shopping cart software for my site, I also needed to update my husband's website with a photo gallery.

Let me tell you, if you use Joomla for your website and need a a photo gallery component, you've got to try JoomGallery!  I was astounded at  how extremely easy it was to install and how many configuration options were available.  It offered the integrated, full featured, photo gallery I was looking for.

Some configurations took more time to figure out what they affected than others, and, being completely new to the software, it seemed to me that a couple of settings had to be changed in two places and I wasn't sure why, although they were not hard to find.

One item that was not obvious, and undocumented, was how to change the display name of the Gallery page, which needs to be edited in the global Joomla language file.  That information was gleaned from the forum pages, and is new with the introduction of Joomla 1.5.

I'm ecstatic about this component, and highly recommend it!

I’ll reserve my judgment on the shopping cart software until I’ve had time to populate it with data and test it.  So, more to come…

Bronco Quilts – work in progress

I have been very busy this weekend, working on trying to get some Bronco quilts made…and it is taking forever!  I sewed, with a little bit of cutting, on Saturday for about 6 hours, and I only have 28 Nine Patches made…and I need at least 42 for one quilt!  After those are made, then I need to make them “disappear”…into a Disappearing Nine Patch design.  Here’s the prototype:

I may need to reconsider the size of the strips, or the construction method; I know I’m slow but, dang!

I expected to already have two made, working on a queen sized quilt, and fleshing out other designs….too bad it’s all in my mind!

Gizmo’s mouse

I just had to share this picture of Gizmo from tonight!  While Gizmo and I were playing, DH got up from the couch to go into the kitchen and Gizmo stopped playing and started watching The Giver of Food.  So I put his toy on his back and he never even noticed...for at least 10 minutes!

Good news!

OK, I just can NOT hold this back!  I have had a wonderful evening.  First, I finally found the border fabrics for my quilt project and I cannot wait to get started getting this top completed!

Second, I had dinner with a fellow quilter who has offered to help me come up with a pantograph design for my BSU quilts and….SHE….DID…IT!  The design is absolutely fabulous!!

Third, I finally broke down and got myself a replacement alarm clock; now I guess I have no more excuses for waking up late.

Well, this may not seem like exciting news for most, but it's the most excitement I think I'll have the rest of this whole week, I’m sure!

Lover’s Knot

I have been helping a new quilter make a very special quilt for her older sister who is getting married in September.  This ambitious young woman is the daughter of my DH’s best friend, and I am thrilled to be asked to help her.  She has never made a quilt before and wants to make a king sized quilt for the new couple…she’s a woman after my own heart!

She found a version of the lover’s knot pattern to make, which I think is a pretty good beginners pattern; the corner element is a bit of a challenge, but the extra work and patience will really pay off in the end.  I think her sister will be thrilled!  I will be quilting this one, if it can be completed before I start school in the fall, and I am tentatively thinking of a heart pantograph at this point.

I used EQ6 to work up two color schemes of the quilt, and after I did that, I decided I may have to make one for myself!

Which one do you prefer?

Dark	Light

I won!

Last night I went to the Boise basin quilters Guild meeting.   Since I was in school last semester, I wasn't able to go for three months because I always had a deadline to meet.,  So I was really looking forward to going.  We had a small core group of people last night, but that made it nice and cozy and allowed us all to catch up with those who were there.  There never seems to be enough time to talk to everyone I would like to!  I even brought zucchini bread that I had made specifically for the meeting the night before.

The presenters were the owners of Granny’s Attic, teaching cutting and piecing techniques.  When they called for volunteers to assist them, they awarded prizes.  I volunteered on the last segment,  which was a great technique on how to create easy mitered corners,  and I received an original Granny’s Attic pattern called 3-6-9, Lets Design!  Actually, I received a different pattern, but I traded with the other volunteer, as the other pattern was a table runner and I  typically don't use those in my home.  You know, though, I'm always interested in a new pattern!

It would have been easy to roll my eyes and decide that I already knew all of the techniques to make any quilt and that they couldn't show me anything new.  I'm really glad that I didn't take that approach because the mitered corner technique that they showed is very easy and I will be more inclined to use them in my quilts.

Even though I've been in Idaho for almost 5 years, I've never been to McCall.  Most of my friends are horrified when they hear that and I suppose I'll have to rectify that situation this summer; now I know of a great destination to include when I get there.

Sew day!

Yesterday I got to spend the day with our subgroup from the local guild, called Pieceworks!, where we worked on our own projects, showed off projects we have finally finished or are working on now, exchanged gifts, food and stories.  Our potluck was fabulous and everyone enjoyed themselves.  I really looked forward to getting together with that group of ladies.

In getting ready for Sew Day I had cut out a quilt for a new project and I got a really good start on it.  Since DH was watching football playoffs, I was able to continue on it when I got home so I was in hog heaven!  I really want to get this project finished in time for the quilt Guild meeting on the 21st so I'd better get busy!  I already know exactly how I'm going to quilt it, although I don't know the color of thread.  I think is going to go together very quickly and I'm excited to get it finished.  No pictures for now, unfortunately.

I also found out that a friend of mine had her baby a month early and of course the quilt top isn’t finished yet.  At least it’s halfway done, if I can just decide on some other elements to make it shine; I still haven't heard any suggestions from anyone yet so I guess I'm on my own as to how to change it!

The surprise quilt for DH is also progressing nicely and boy is a lot of work!  I don't think I'll be doing a log cabin again for quite a while, although now I have a whole bunch of little tiny strips cut! One thing I may do with them though, is incorporate them into a braided rug project which I have been eyeing.  One of the gals at the event yesterday was doing locker hook rug making, and it looked really fun and I loved her project, but I don't know that my tennis elbow would allow me to really get going on a project.  Besides, I already have enough projects to work on!

Speaking of that, I'd better get moving on this fine Sunday morning.