A New Giveaway!

And it's a great one, thanks to a company donation...check my site in the next few days for more info.

Important Things

Trent over at the Simple Dollar has one of the best posts he's ever done:
The ten most important things he's learned from life -- and finances.

These are really quite amazing, including:

The more time you spend improving and educating yourself, the better off you will be.

Blaming others for your problems is a dead-end road. It may be fun. It may even be true in part. But it's not going to get you anywhere.

And maybe my favorite: The single most important part of finance is truly knowing yourself.

Additional thoughts:

Always spend less than you earn. (JD at Get Rich Slowly posits this, and I think he's right.)

Save a little every week -- even if it's only a dollar or so.

You weren't put on this earth to have it cater to you. We're here for a reason.

Big piles of snow are in the middle of the roads downtown, and people gingerly drive through the narrow lanes created. The sun is shining hard, in spite of the chilly air, and you can literally see the snow steaming down. We're supposed to be in the 60s next week, which should take care of the rest.

Now back to that sinkful of dirty dishes...have a great weekend.

End of the Week Smile

Go to Nester's 'smile' post first, and spend some time grinning at the American Express commercial. But then take a minute to visit the smile in the laundry room. (Think Geico.)
I missed it the first time!

Friday

I woke up late this morning, to find Husband, still snoring blissfully -- school got cancelled yet again today! He, for one, was heartbroken that he couldn't trudge out and shovel the 19-plus inches of snow off the car...


It's beautiful out, but not much is melting. And we've got storm clouds still peeking over the mountains. On the other hand, we're supposed to have temps in the 60s next week. It's Colorado -- go figure.

Twenty of filmdom's creepiest little kids are listed in this unsettling photo gallery, including my own favorite -- the little girl in Bad Seed. She had no hesitation burning up a creepy janitor, or killing the little boy that wouldn't fork over the penmanship medal she craved. Wouldn't it be a relief to push somebody who was irritating the crap out of you down the stairs... oh no, I'm starting to think like her! Horrors!

The girlies saw Bad Seed when they were younger, and loved it. Then they'd get this speculative look in their eyes...

Animal Attacks

Have you heard about the young folk singer killed by coyotes?

What a strange thing to happen. I would think it totally bizarre, if not for some of the odd animal attacks we've had here in Colorado. But for us, it's generally mountain lions...here's advice on what to do if you're ever in this kind of situation.

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells...

Mmfffmmfmfmfmfmf....

oop, wait... I need to claw myself up and out of a snowdrift before I can do anything else!!

Seriously, we have been DUMPED on the past few days. School got cancelled; a blessing because Husband, who works as a trainer in the transportation department, could stay in bed and sleep in. (He still isn't over this flu completely...I haven't come back to full strength either, frankly.)

The tally, as of tonight, is 18". (I'd gripe more about that, but Evergreen and places further toward the mountains got as much as 39"!) It's enough to have big overhanging shelves of snow on the deck roof, and half the bird population of Douglas County hanging out on our back porch. (The bird feeder, nearly full earlier this week, is now about 3/4 empty.) The snow is past the dogs' bellies, and the boys flounder around happily, though they're quick to zoom back in.

We've stayed put. Today, I don't think more than one or two cars went down our road -- if that. (The snowplow only put in one appearance.) I finished quilting the top, after staying up nearly all night, plus a bunch of other hours, (yay!) and have started binding it.

Two solid days of snow and blowing, but it's moving further east, over the plains now. Looks like the snow's finally stopped falling here, as of 12:45 a.m. (this posting). I'm guessing Husband will go back to work tomorrow -- darn it.

Ah well. I've got a huge pile of Golden West books to take to the post office, anyways.

* * * * * * *
Some people around Wolf Creek Pass haven't been too thrilled that the area's under consideration for a new ski resort. So they (the people, not the developers) enlisted the support of an unusual champion -- Bigfoot! Take a look at this very funny video.

Recession Payback

One of the funniest online games I've seen in a long time...and it rewards you with coupons! Go to the Con-Agra Recession Payback site, and you can beat up the six-term senator, the Wall Street schemer, corporate bigshot, or my favorite -- the sneaky banker.

Your hero is any one of Con-Agra's brand characters, from Marie Callender to Chef Boy-Ar-Dee.

Have fun!

Sunday Piano Players

Friend Marcie just sent on this great video of an elderly couple playing piano -- enjoy!

Go here.

What a cheerful way to start the week.

Three Blogs Worth Reading

...and then I have to get some work done before bedtime!

LifeasMom has a nice post on cooking once and eating thrice. (I admire her organization.) Her chicken potpie recipe sounds amazing.

And another blogger, who in her 'other' life is a missionary. And a wife. And a mother. Honest, to the point, really living her faith. Wow. Check out Moms,Ministry&More.

And Cook for Good, who believes in using blocks of time for meals...I like the concept, though heating up baked potatoes seems a bit silly, when the house could benefit from the residual heat, anyways. She's a bit too vegetarian for our taste (the Bricks are big meat-eaters). But the ideas are good, and adaptable for about anyone. The price is right, too -- very frugal.

Enjoy!

Good News

I got a phone call this afternoon from one of the managers at the Kansas City Star, publisher of Ye Olde Quilts of the Golden West. After I answered her initial question, I asked one of my own: how many books had sold?

She didn't know about this month's sales. In September, though, when the book first came out, the book sold...

nearly 5,100 copies!

After I picked myself up off the floor, I thanked the Great Editor for His help and encouragement. Then I called my mom.

A video to give you heart!

Tiger Woods...bested by a 12-year-old?

Woods was in North Carolina, showing off his first golf course design. He hit two shots to 'open' the course -- both landed in the trees. When he invited the crowd to do better, the kid stepped forward...

and hit the ball 200 yards down the course. Woods said, "Do it again..." So he did!

See the video here, and Tiger's gracious response: "Good job. I'm proud of you."

The mark of a true champion.

Wildlife Photo Contest Results

Go here for the winners of a national wildlife photography contest sponsored by BBC Wildlife and London's Natural History museum. The winning photo: a wolf in mid-leap while on a hunting expedition.

But my heart smiled at the cat busy defending her territory...from a fox! Her 'pet,' a wildlife ranger, spent five months in a nature reserve in Kamchatka, and took Ryska (the cat) along with him. He explained, "...the animals were curious about the area's new residents, and drawn by cooking smells from the cabin. The foxes in particular would visit every day. When they came within 20m, that was her boundary and chased them. It was really funny - foxes were climbing trees to get away from the cat."

Frugal Luxuries

I love this thread from J.D. at Get Rich Slowly:

What makes you feel rich, while still being frugal?

For me, it's:

*Buying Good Stuff cheap or on sale -- like imported lebkuchen, curry paste (especially nasi goreng, an Indonesian spicy mix that's absolutely addictive), quality chocolate and coffee, Japanese rice crackers, etc. I rely on Cost Plus World Market, sales on Amazon (more of these than you would think in the grocery area), Trader Joe's and Andy's Discount Market, a scratch-and-dent grocery near my mom's house in Michigan. The latter has had everything from rice vinegar to imported chocolates, lobster bisque and canned crabmeat at rock-bottom prices.

*Sitting out on our deck, with the petals from our blooming rosebush drifting around. $15 for the (very large) copper container, 35 bucks for the rosebush, which I plan to replant in the spring. Worth every penny. (Yes, it's under snow at present.)

*Finding quality items at the thrift shop -- like a lambswool sweater, or a leather jacket. Or yesterday's find, 7 blue/green-trimmed glass goblets. (The 8th must have broken.) As a bonus, they were giving away day-old bread.... upscale, artisan brand baguettes, french bread and bagels. Yum.

*Finishing a big job -- or a nasty one I've been putting off. Then taking an hour to read in a snug chair, fur throw over the legs and a cup of steaming British tea nearby, while the snow falls outside.

Ah...luxury...

So what's yours?

Still Here...Under the Snowflakes

We had a pretty big storm start last night, about midnight.

Thankfully, I'd gotten home about 11:00 p.m., after giving a talk for the newly-formed textile history group meeting at the Creative Needle quilt/fabric shop. (A great place, by the way, to find not only the newest fabrics, but great stuff in needlepoint, cross-stitch and other needlearts, as well as a new sewing machine!) For more on the group -- which promises to be very interesting, and yours truly will be joining, too -- try the Creative Needle's calendar.

The night before, I spoke for the Alpine Quilters, in the mountains above Morrison.

And the night before that, I'd barely gotten home from California!

Needless to say, catching up is still a big part of this girl's equation. The bod doesn't know if it's coming or going yet.

* * * * *
QUILTS OF THE GOLDEN WEST is doing great -- we've already sold out of our first batch of books, and are waiting for the second batch, so we can fill more orders! (Nearly half are already spoken for.) If you'd like a copy too, they're $24.95, including free shipping...and a copy of the Grandma's Quilt Pattern Quilts of the Pioneers will be thrown into the mix, on the house. Just write or phone via the Brickworks website.

Getting On With It

More appraising...trudge, trudge, trudge. Except for a break for lunch, Nancy (the girl who foolishly agreed to scribe for me), along with yours truly, was either meeting with someone, schlepping them up or down the escalator and two hallways, or typing away to get that appraisal done before the next person came up the escalator. (Note to self: try not to get too upset when you attempt three times to spell escalator -- and have to dither about it before you get it.)

Anyhow, I am here...but very tired.

Had a lovely supper out under the stars -- leftover lasagne (but I didn't have to cook it!), a glass of champagne and some hot tea with a handful of pecans. And a long discussion about the effects of the human will on sickness. Oh yes, and whether Language of Flowers meanings had something to do with the ways herbs and flowers are used for medical purposes. (I'll bet they do...and could think of a few examples, at least.)

Thanks, Nancy and Clayton. It was wonderful.

Off to bed -- and dream of tomorrow, stuffed full of people asking questions, holding quilts.

Santa Clara, Here I Am...

Got into the San Jose airport in a fog...an incredibly bumpy trip. Rain glistening everything at the midnight hour. Fell into bed, but couldn't sleep. Got up. Took a hot bath, read about ten pages of Les Miserables (my current thick book-reading), out like a light.

Judged all day today. (Why is it I keep hearing in my head, "Judge not, let ye be judged." I'm going to be in big trouble!) Dragged back to the hotel - fell into bed again, slept for a few hours. Had a snack, read more. If you haven't read Les Miz for yourself (seeing the movie doesn't count, though it helps), find a copy, pronto. Victor Hugo tends to take these huge leaps off into the unknown -- more than 30 pages on Battle of Waterloo, for example! -- but I am amazed at his vivid descriptions and clarity. More than once, I found myself crying or talking out loud. This for a novel published in 1862? How many books make you do that!?!

Now it's on to Day #2, and appraising. This will be a quiet one: only a few appraisals in the room, but lots of hanging appraisals.

The show has some beauties, including an incredible golden wholecloth quilt with shining embellishments, some really nice floral samplers (one in country fabrics on red!), and some of the prettiest bustier/formal wearables I've seen in a long time. If you're in the area, a trip to Pacific International is well worth it.

Goodbyee

Frugal Babe is proclaiming the glories of de-cluttering. Even in a small way, it's refreshing; I've been getting rid of a handful of things every other day or so. More will go away, once I get back...

from Pacific International. Taking the plane away from this drearyness to the sunny temps of Santa Clara, California. And working like crazy -- judging the first day, then three days of appraising. This show is one of the best on the West coast, including an amazing display of modern quilts. Find out more about it here.

I'll be checking in now and then. Or stop in at the appraiser's room and say hi, if you're going to Pacific!

Frontier - and Challenges!

Earlier this afternoon, I was so frustrated, I could have spit. (An old Michigan expression that doesn't sound nearly as good in print as when you're, well, spitting the words out!)

Frontier changed my flight reservation for coming home. I was supposed to work all day at the conference -- and the little dears at Frontier changed my flight.

To 11 a.m. In the morning. Without letting me know, until I got the notice from Orbitz last night.

See why I was so mad?!

Thankfully, the folks at Orbitz were able to reschedule me to the redeye flight next morning -- 6:52 a.m. Oh joy.

Meanwhile, the Mancusos cleared my Saturday schedule and stuffed everything on Friday, instead! I'll be very busy then...but now I have Saturday for more work, plus finishing up the hanging appraisals, as well.

And if I'm lucky, a quick visit to the Winchester Mystery House Saturday afternoon, as well.

There's no use adding another night at the hotel, since I'd have to be at the airport so early next morning, anyways. I'll just go to the airport after supper, and do some work there.

But I'd love to march down to the Frontier offices and personally spank whichever yahoo thought to cancel my later flight -- and not let anyone, including Orbitz, know until yesterday. That was not appreciated.

Spending Less Than You Earn - Revisited!

Whoa....this is one of Get Rich Slowly's favorite mantras, and it's explored in detail this morning! Take a look. Some good stuff here.

Menswear in Quilts - Fall Exhibit at NEQM

Laura Fisher, noted historian and textiles dealer, has curated a fascinating exhibit on quilts made from menswear. More than forty different objects, plus lots of ephemera (catalogs, patterns and such) make this especially relevant.

It's just opened at the New England Quilt Museum -- see an exhibit description and sample pieces here. And here's the press release. You only have through Nov. 15 of this year.

Kim Wulfert has a review of this unusual exhibit...take a look. Lots of photos and descriptions.

Wish I lived closer! I'd visit several times...you hardly ever get a chance to see the humbler objects of our lives expressed like this -- both as useful objects, and as expressions of imagination. Wonderful!

100 Ways To Recycle Your Old T-Shirts!

Frugal Babe, bless her heart, passed on this intriguing link. She likes the diapers...but I couldn't take my eyes off the terrific rug. See which of the 100 different approaches helps you make an old t-shirt (singular or plural) into something unique.

Oh, and Colorado (almost) beat 2nd place-in-the-country Texas. Note I said "almost!"

As I write this, Michigan's still hanging in there. Go Blue!!

Saturn...Quilts of the Golden West...and stuff on the way to stuff

The Cassini telescope is taking amazing new photos of Saturn. Discoveries include a tiny moon orbiting between the rings, and a big ring never known about previously. Go here for some amazing photos.

* * * * * * *

I've spent the past few days washing (yes, I spoil poor neglected Husband), ironing...quilting an indigo 25 Patch top (it's sooo close to being done!) Trying to catch up on business before I leave again -- this time to judge and appraise for the Mancusos' Pacific International Quilt Show. (For those of you in California, stop by and say hi. I'd love it. We're in the convention center at Santa Clara.)

I spent last week with Mom. She's not doing well, I hate to say, though she has better days...and worse ones. I can't blame her - I miss Dad, too. She'll be coming here for Christmas, which will hopefully help some. We putzed around a lot, went out to eat, and picked a few bushels of crisp Macintosh apples. (My share got banged and smacked around in the airport, but there is always apple crisp to fall back on.)

Husband, meantime, went antelope hunting in the Colorado backcountry with Daughter #2 -- and got a big buck within an hour of their arrival in Maybelle! Amazing, almost unheard of. THEN they got a flat tire on the popup camper they borrowed for the trip. Changed that, and put on the spare...going out the next morning, the second tire blew. Got that fixed...and the bearing froze up.

They spent two extra days because of a popup camper they never used. (They decided to sleep in the back of the Jeep instead. Didn't want to mess the camper up, I guess.) Monday night, they came home in the same storm I flew home in -- only their version was snowy, sleeting and filled with trucks that had jackknifed up at the Eisenhower Tunnel. (Which was closed westbound -- but thankfully not eastbound.)

They got home around 10:00 p.m. -- the same time I did.

* * * * * * * *

QUILTS OF THE GOLDEN WEST is finally at the Brickworks offices! And the books are lovely. You can see them, including sample pages, here.

You'll find a mix of history about pioneers; the Gold and Silver Rush in various states, including California; the fight over the Gold and Silver Standard; financial panics (there have been many -- at least one every decade of America's existence); and how quilters expressed their opinions about money, silver, gold...and life. Ten quilt patterns are featuring, including Girls of the Golden West, containing nine famous women who were involved with gold, silver and copper.

Want a copy? Everyone else is offering the book for $28.95 PLUS shipping -- but Brickworks is selling it for $24.95, INCLUDING media rate shipping. We'll even throw in a copy of our "Quilts of the Pioneers" pattern booklet -- a $2.95 value. E-mail cindy@cindybrick.com, or call toll-free 1-888-48-BRICK. We accept MASTERCARD, VISA, Paypal, checks and money orders.

Finally Home --

and loving being here.

I flew back Monday night in a horrendous batch of clouds as we came down toward DIA. Thankfully, the pilot warned us beforehand. Not so thankfully, the clueless guy in the row ahead decided to recline his seat -- so I spent the time with literally about a foot of personal space between me and the tray table.

The trip down should have been a new ride at Elitch's, our local amusement park...first rollercoaster down, slam to a brief stop, then have the plane shake from side to side. After a few minutes of this, my seatmate turned green, and...

Well, you can guess. Mostly in the convenient bag...

But not all of it.

So I spent the rest of the time looking out the window, breathing shallowly through the mouth and desperately trying not to join him. I succeeded...but barely.

It's one of the few times I felt like kissing the ground when I got off. What a pilot!

More tomorrow. It's so nice to be back and sleeping in my own bed.

Quilting for Dear Life

Just before I left on this trip, the publisher e-mailed...they wanted quilts to promote the book NOW, for display on the booth.

That would be just fine -- except the quilts made for the Golden West book were just in top form! And the antique quilts had either gone back into the museum collections, or were returned to their owners.

My Machine Quilter Extraordinaire, Tammy di Pasquale, finished one top and shipped it off. Mom and I have been busting ourselves quilting a second and third top...both are quilted, and we're busy stitching on the bindings this afternoon. They'll be in the mail, and on to a hotel in Houston.

I'm blowing kisses their direction, and waving them Godspeed. Hopefully they'll do their job.

It's been raining here in Michigan (north of Grand Rapids) today, but just an off-and-on drizzle. Kind of refreshing; we see so little rain at home in Colorado. The Brick and Daughter #2 are antelope hunting this weekend. Hope they bring home a nice juicy, hairy friend.