I'm Back in Alaska, Again!

I answered the phone late yesterday afternoon, to hear a cousin saying..."I didn't know you were coming up to Alaska!" And I had to say back to her..."I didn't know it either!"

But back in my home state of Alaska.....I am. Monday is my mother's 83rd birthday and as were were chatting about that over the phone last Sunday...both she and my 91 year old father said..."we want you to come up for your mom's birthday!"

So, I thought about it on Sunday evening, did my scheduled volunteer work on Monday and Tuesday, bought an airline ticket and packed on Wednesday, and by 1:35 in the afternoon on Thursday I was standing in the Juneau, Alaska airport being greeted by my dad.

It is (as always) beautiful here. It's about 50 degrees and after the heat wave in Oregon, my capris and short sleeved shirt (even with a jacket on top) are not working for me ;) I have been helping out since I arrived and just dropped my mother off at "The Little Mermaid" for her birthday perm and only just found out today that Alaska's governor has been asked to run with John McCain as his running mate.

Now, I don't mean to get into politics, so let's say that out of the two dozen people I have asked for opinions on Alaska's governor (now Vice-President elect nominee) Sarah Palin, well.....she has been a bit of a debate in the Alaskan political arena.

Some feel she has more style than substance...others farther north, just love her. Here, in the Juneau area, residents are unhappy that she has failed to live in the capital city and favored projects that have taken away from Juneau as Alaska's capital.

Touted on national magazines for the last year as Alaska's 'sexy' governor, and many are concerned about her qualifications for national office. There's no doubt that her image has been specifically to target a specific family values audience. Senator McCain has ever only met her one time...before selecting her as his running mate. Apparently, he didn't know anything about her at all, until his people contacted her people. Ah, politics!

So, it feels a little strange to now be in a State where the national focus will be on this state and its governor. But I'm here for family, and that is my own primary focus ;)

I feel a million miles away, right now, from the rest of the world, from my volunteer work, from all of my craft, blog, sewing and quilting projects. And in all of the time that I have balanced all of those worlds, this is a new feeling for me.

Perhaps, it is knowing that my parents are getting older, that my mom is battling Alzheimer's and my father exhausted but steadfast in his care of her. Perhaps, it is because they are wanting much more of me than help and a visit this time.

But it is good to be 'home' and good to be with family and once again as I flew over my beloved mountains, and ice caps, and ocean inlets and lakes, my eyes filled up with not only lush beauty but a few heartfelt tears of connection.

So, no matter what else is happening in the world, in politics, in blogs and bloggers around the world...'There's no place like home!"

Dancing With The Stars

If you watched ABC's 'Good Morning, America' this morning, then you already know the Fall line-up for the new cast of 'Dancing With The Stars.' But if you missed it, here's the line-up!

The major cast score is Olympian Gold Medalist Misty May-Treanor, who won her second gold medal for beach volleyball at this year's summer games in Beijing. Now, we get to watch her on the dance floor!

She joins soap opera actress, Susan Lucci, singer, Toni Braxton, and singer, Lance Bass on the dance floor. Other competitors will include, Cloris Leachman, Kim Kardashian, Ted McGinley, Brooke Burke, NFL champ, Warren Sapp, and another Olympic athlete,Maurice Greene, who won two gold medals in track at the 2000 games in Sydney.

It ought to be a diverse and interesting mix! Get ready for a new season, new energy, a lot of change and transformation ......plus a lot of wild 'Dancing with the Stars!'

morsbags for charitable giving

I told dear Finn, that I was joining Yoga Mistress, Ebby, in a corpse pose today. After finishing 30+ morsbags , Creating Personalized Wedding Gifts and working on 3 WISPs, I am now laying on my back, all four of my paws in the air, resting my worn out sit-down-upon and humming along to the Olympic theme song as I ohhhmmmmmm in one nostril and out the other.

After weeks of high heat, here in Oregon, we then went into rainy season. I've been trying to Taking the High Road in the Heat Wave , but I like to garden in my nightgown just to make life more interesting for the neighbors. And between the heat wave and the lightning/monsoon that followed, it became challenging. You have to picture this with a 58 year old woman with sit-upon long hair, followed by three cats, one of whom is black, to really get the picture. Since, I've been known to meditate on rooftops and scream when I open the door to the UPS man (expecting someone else) I do manage to keep life interesting...for myself, and others.

It's hard to believe that summer is on the wane. With the Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse this month and all of the shadow sides screaming out of people all over the Internet, I have been busy compiling my highly anticipated quilter's analysis of sewing styles that are evident just from viewing your studio pics and reading about all of your quilting antics. It will be posted soon, and then I will be called worse names that the one blogger who referred to me as a 'Debbie Downer' for publishing info on Brillante Weblog Premio: Hoax Award What I found funny, is that I actually know a lady by that name.

If you didn't notice, I posted a Quilting Quiz , even with the answers right in front of me, I still missed some of the answers, mine were originally written upside down and being directionally challenged, I got mixed up. I felt so much better when others missed the obvious ones, too.

But after my Quilting Snippets and Other Threadtales with Browser Freezes, Sitemeter, IE, Trojans and Other Fiery Viruses and Bugs all going to battle against me, and it turning out that I'd analyzed that problem correctly (!) it was time for some deep analysis and taking a good hard look at why we all do the quilty things we do.

Finn's Sometimes A Great Notion was not only a delightful surprise, but has helped me take a good look at why and how we all quilt and what means the most to each of us. I figure if I squeal when I open something... that's a good thing, and if I scream....not so good. Remember, I'm the lady who had kids who raised 15 pets non-stop at a time and that included rats, snakes, scorpions, frogs, lizards, iguanas, and tarantulas. Opening drawers, boxes, doors, or bedsheets is always a good way to jumpstart my day.

My blog ran amok last month with Charity Quilting, Quilting Blogs and Googlegangers. I had over 1,500 hits one day and I was wondering if I was famous and no one had told me. Nope, I just write posts that inform or emotionally touch others, that get hit hard once in a while. I spend an awful lot of time researching and sharing, so that helps make me feel at least numerically appreciated. The rest of the time, things are much, much quieter, and I can actually pretend that I'm normal.

Speaking of which, time to hit the deck, my corpse pose is getting out of alignment!

Quilting Quiz + Somerset Star Tutorial!

1 - When piecing a block, you must sew an exact __?___ inch seam allowance.

(1/8”) (1/4”) (1/2”) (3/4”) (1”)

2 – If you are cutting your binding 2 ½”, how much fabric will you need if your finished quilt measures 54” x 72”?

(1/4 yd) (1/3 yd) (1/2 yd) (5/8 yd) (3/4 yd) (7/8 yd)

3 – How many yards of backing fabric will you need for your 54” x 72” quilt if you piece your backing top to bottom?

(1 ½ yds) (2 yds) (2 ¼ yds) (2 ¾ yds) (3 ¼ yds) (4 yds)

4 – How many yards of backing fabric will you need for your 54” x 72” quilt if your backing fabric is 90” wide?

(3/4 yd) (1 yd) (1 3/8 yds) (1 5/8 yds) ( 2 yds) ( 2 ¾ yds)

5 – If you are making 12” finished blocks, what do you multiply 12” by to get the diagonal measurement of that block?

(1.000) (1.414) (1.500) (1.675) (2.000) (2.414)

6 – What are the following: Bodkin, Boot Spur, Emery Pouch?

(articles of clothing) (sewing tools) (quilting patterns)

7 – Which term does not belong?

(border) (prairie point) (piping) (scallop)

8 – Which quiltmaking technique has always been done by machine?

(Seminole patchwork) (prairie points) (miniature quilts)

9 – Who is the inventor of the sewing machine?

(Elias Howe) (Isaac Singer) (Richard Sears)

10 – What do the following have in common: echo, stipple, meander, crosshatch?

(quiltmaking techniques) (quilting patterns) (methods of joining patchwork)

11 – “Plaited Block” is another name for this popular quilt pattern (hint: think C. Checker)

12 – In design and art layout, “Chevreul’s Laws” are rules for combining what ?

13 – The basic black Singer Featherweight sewing machine was made in what New Jersey city ?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Answers to the quiz above: don't peek until you've already guessed!

(answers:)1. (1/4) 2. (5/8) 3. (3 1/4) 4. (1 5/8) 5. (1.414 or 1.5) 6. (sewing tools) 7. (border) 8. (seminole patchwork) 9. (elias howe)

10. (quilting patterns) 11. (twist) 12. (colors) 13. (elizabethport)

Shown above:

my answer to #8 and my 'quilting to do list' journal ;)

Quilted Book or Journal Cover Tutorial
I used a Somerset Star pattern!

My own Somerset Star pieced book cover!  I've made at least a half dozen, but others are so faded I dare not use their photos!

A Somerset Star pattern is simply squares turned into flying geese, lay them down in a circle, tack or sew down, add another layer, and so on!

I also LOVE to make potholders, so here's my own St. Patrick's Day potholders and a basic tutorial for making a set of your own!

Quick Tutorial for a pair of Somerset Star Potholders:

Making a Somerset Star Circular Potholder: (note: photos above may not co-ordinate with fabric of choice you use, nor with basic directions below.

• 2 10” squares of muslin or other solid colored fabric
• about 1 yard of print fabric, 45” wide
• about 3/4 yard of solid fabric, 45” wide

or enough fabric for from the print as you will need to create:

• 32 5” squares
• 2 10” squares

from the solid:

• 24 5” squares
• 2 scraps (over 2”)
• 10” or more square to make bias binding (or 2” x 60” coordinating bias binding)

1. First, cut the 5” squares. ( If you’re using the yardages, you will cut three 5” strips from the solid and four 5” strips from your print).

2. Fold each strip in half lengthwise and iron, then cut at 5” intervals.

3. You will get eight cuts per row plus a little left over.
Next, iron down the top two corners to make a triangle.  All the raw edges should be on the bottom side.

(Repeat for all the squares.)

4. Mark the center of the muslin by folding it in half twice.  Place the scrap in the center.  Make sure  you don’t see muslin showing through under your work.  (You could use a 10” piece of the solid fabric instead of the muslin if you wanted.)

5. Starting with a triangle, arranging around as shown until all are layed down in the circular pattern.

6. Repeat with additional triangles, then hand stitch the tips of the top corners down. Be sure to stitch down the points of all the triangle tips.

7. At this point, flip over and mark a centered 9” circle on the back of the piece.  Cut it out with a rotary cutter.  Cut out one 9” circle of batting and one 9” circle of Insulbrite.  Place the batting directly under the muslin, then the Insulbrite (shiny side out), then the 10” square of print on the back, wrong side down.  Cut away the excess and zig-zag stitch the packet together to keep it from shifting.

Finish with binding fabric and method of your own choice!



More links:

http://www.ehow.com/how_6558850_folded-star-quilting-instructions.html#ixzz2BwJtmdyk

 

Somerset Patchwork Cushion Video - YouTube
► 10:15► 10:15	www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTTNLxSxKNkMar 12, 2012 - 10 min - Uploaded by ludlowquiltandsew How to make a somerset patchwork cushion video. ... I love your directions for the star.I learned to make this ...

More videos for somerset star tutorial »

Awakening Our Dormant Energies of Transformation

A 'Grand Place' in Brussels, Belgium, is showcasing an other-worldly garden of delight. Transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary, involved a master plan which required 700,000 flowers. Gardeners created this beautiful floral mosaiic of begonias, which they create every two years. This display opened on August 14 and will last only a few days before the flowers wither and die.

Ushering in the energies of both a full moon and a partial lunar eclipse on August 14, our energies may still seem to be stuck in dark and stodgy patterns where we all feel 'stuck in a rut', perhaps even 'withering.' The possibilities exist, however, to use the energies now, to create new and more colorful patterns and life designs. It is time to get out of our ruts.

As a "Full Moon in Aquarius," we can prepare for sudden and unexpected change as the energies may seem to be wanting long naps instead fully awakening into new understandings. As the partial lunar (the feminine) eclipse, its very name means "I cease to exist" or "I am absent."

We have all been partially absent from our own lives in recent months. Windows now open up to change around August 23, so its good to begin change now, before the sudden openings come in too hard and too fast.

All of the things we have put off deciding on, from Presidential candidates, to the equal rights of others, to world issues of peace vs war, come to our full attention. We can choose to continue our unconscious slumbering, where we just lay back and judge others from a blocked heart, or open our hearts to what we truly knows to be real and loving. Act as our beloved prophets and seers would have acted, not from judgement and exclusion but from love and acceptance. And make your choices from that place in the inner heart that truly knows how to love and to accept.

Depending on your birth site, space and place, your energies will focus on your birth month and astrological sign. But the incoming energies is a time when our darkest 'shadow sides'...the parts of our personality that we seek to hide from others or admit to ourselves....come out to be seen, exposed, dealt with on many levels, and hopefully, begin to be healed.

Time to jump start ourselves...out of our ruts, and into the awakening energies of a new era. Time for a new design ;)

Taking the High Road in the Heat Wave

To live heroically is its own compensation in which all can share. In every person there is a slumbering hero.
—Henry Neumann

Today, is a good day for all of us to "take the high road." Turn the other check, be a good sport, own up to a small mistake, don't point out that you really were right in the first place (my personal favorite) and just do the best we can, with what we've got. Above, a path just waiting to be taken (this one at the U of O, Eugene).... and a rotary cutting mat (back deck, Salem)...that well.....I 'accidentally' ironed on top of and ruined.

Today, is a good day to make lemonade. 100º to 105º here in the 'fry me up and serve me with potato salad' kind of heat. On the the happy side...it's the perfect time to lay those old warped rotary cutting mats out in the scorching sun and lay something flat and heavy on top. You just may get the last of the major warps out!

I told a dear friend, Shasta, on her new blog High Road Quilter, that it is so hot in my little sewing room that I don't need an iron to fuse any of my fabrics. I just wave the fabric back and forth and all the layers just melt together!

Shasta is definitely a 'high road' quilter! Check out her new blog and say be sure to leave a comment and say 'hello!'

Laurel Burch: Free Screensavers, Free Quilt Patterns (For Special Cats Everywhere)

"Art is a universal language, and through imagery that is understood and recognized by all people everywhere, I believe that we can share the grace of birds in flight, feel the warmth of friendships, explore the exquisite beauty and mysteries of the earth and savor the preciousness of life. When I design and paint, I remember that it is you, my friends and kindred spirits all over the world, who have inspired me to speak in a common language. I wish to express my deepest gratitude for your appreciation of my art and for the opportunity this has provided me to live my life with courage, purpose, and joy. Thank you for all you are and for all we are to each other. - Laurel"

Laurel Burch passed a way on September 13, 2007. When I wrote a post on the news of her death (almost a year ago) I wrote about what an amazing life she had led, how she had worked so hard, and lived a life filled with pain, yet she always saw the true value in giving back to others.

I was reminded of these posts yesterday, when my own heart was touched by a wonderful email from someone who was simply thanking me from her own heart.... for my writing about Laurel and offering the links to her free screensavers. The writer of the email told me that she was moved yesterday to do a search on Laurel because her own beloved cat, "Special Ed" age 17 , is about to pass away.

He was born with brain damage and she rescued him when he was a tiny kitten. Special Ed is her ninth little rescue cat to have lived a good and happy life and now is making that last transitional journey home. And then she thanked me for "bringing a smile to my face today."

Now, that right there, is why I blog! Thank you, dear Elizabeth and blessings to sweet 'Special Ed' as he crosses over the Rainbow Bridge. ((hugs from Michele in Salem, Oregon))
Laurel Burch Free Pattern Downloads:


To see current free patterns and download them:
Fanciful Felines or
Fanciful Felines Free PDF download
Secret Jungle Wall Hanging Pattern
Mythical Horse Quilt Pattern: Free


Mermaid Free Pattern



OceanSongs



Felines Canines Quilt is Free


And please check out Laurel's beautiful website at:
http://www.laurelburch.com/
LaurelBurch.com Screen Savers

To see current fabric go here:

or here as shown below:

And please check out Laurel's beautiful website at:
http://www.laurelburch.com/

And find three, free downloadable screensavers for your computer at:
LaurelBurch.com Screen Savers

Printable Instore or Online Joann's Coupons:UPDATED

Joann Fabrics Printable Coupon

This image shown above is NOT the coupon !!!!



Click here: Jo-Ann Share a COUPON offer for friends and family. Become a Preferred

Click here to get free printable coupon

US Takes The Gold, Silver, Bronze: What a Start!

An Oregonian, Mariel Zagunis of Beaverton, became a two-time gold medalist as she defended her Athens gold with a victory in the women's fencing competition in the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.

Zagunis led an impressive U.S. sweep of the event as Sada Jacobson took the silver and Zagunis' Portland teammate and saber World Champion Rebecca Ward earned the bronze medal. The three medals were the very first won by Team USA in the Beijing 2008 Games.

I watched as Mariel stood proudly on the podium and listened to they playing of "The Star Spangled Banner' as tears rolled down her face. I could see President Bush in the Awards stadium behind her and found it actually quite touching that he handed her his own handerchief afterwards. She stared at it, stared at him, stared at it...then finally took it.

I'm sure she probably thought at that point, that she was hearing things, seeing things, and winning things. She was. What was awesome was that the U.S. also took the bronze and the silver. I'm a sucker for sentimentality. When the National Anthemn plays, I actually get a bit of a choke in my throat. But then I cry when little kids (I don't even know) win races at Bush Pasture Park in Salem.

It doesn't take much to touch my heartstrings! And so, you ask? How is she tying in the Olympics, fencing and a quilting blog?

On pointe!!!

Three Sisters: Patriotism Flies High

Listening to ABC news "Persons of the Week"last evening and hearing about the three Smith sisters, Kelly, Amber and Lacey Smith of White Salmon, WA made me think of my last three patriotic 'quilts of valor' all hanging out on my loft railings together. It's funny isn't it, how a quilters mind always goes to her quilts?

Air Force Captain Kelly Smith 31, grew up as a member of a third generation of pilots. With a grandfather who flew in the Army Air Corps during WWII and a grandmother and a mother who were flight attendants, her father put her in a Cessna as a youngster.

As Kelly said of her flying DNA....'It's absolutely ingrained in the blood. Like there's hydraulic fluid in there or something." Kelly flies a -130 Hercules plane with the 146th Airlift Wing in California, now dropping supplies to troops on the ground in Afghanistan.

Kelly is joined in the Armed Forces by her sisters, Amber 26, a Chief Warrant Officer who (wo)mans an OH058 Kiowa Warrior used for scouting attacks. Considered the most dangerous of the three sisters' jobs.

Third sister, Lacey 25, is also a chief warrant officer and pilots a Black Hawk helicopter. When she was a child, her sister, Kelly told her to take the controls, and I said, 'No, it's too windy,'" "And of course you know the big sister says all. And it was, 'Do it or no one's going to be on the controls." So, she did.

Now that all three are in Afghanistan, they feel honored to share their military service with one another. "As far as I know, we are probably the only ones," Kelly said. "I hope there are plenty of other girls out there that are learning to fly or want to fly and are able to get into the military. We're having a great time. We love it."

I'm sorry, I'm not even an armchair pilot. I can watch this news program and think 'wow!' But, I'll just sit in my armchair and finish sewing my binding on my current patriotic quilt, thank you!

Doesn't mean I'm not proud of the patriotic or hard work of these three sisters. It just means 'Three Sisters' are mountains near where we hold our famous outdoor quilt show is held in July every year and they are what I normally think of when I hear those words!

These three sisters are remarkable... and my thoughts and prayers certainly go out to them (and all members of our Armed Forces) as they fight to protect democracy and all that it stands for in the world.

Check out my other links and consider making and donating a patriotic quilt to our members of the military or making and giving a blue star banner to a family with a member in active military service.

pertinent links:
Patriotic Heartstrings Quilting Project
Patriotic Heartstrings
Patriotic Heartstrings: Liberated Stars and Stripes
Directions For Making a Blue or Gold Star Service Banner
Lest We Forget
Free Patriotic Quilting Patterns

The Forgetting: A Portrait of Alzheimer's

The Forgetting: A Portrait of Alzheimer's is a two-hour special showing tonight on OPB at 9:00 pm (check your time on your local Public Broadcasting Station.) The 90-minute documentary is based on David Shenk's best-selling book The Forgetting. Like Shenk's book, the documentary is a dramatic, yet compassionate, look at Alzheimer's that weaves together the history and biology of the disease with the very real-world and often intense, experiences of Alzheimer's patients and caregivers.

The documentary is followed by Alzheimer's: The Help You Need, a half-hour program hosted by David Hyde Pierce that features top Alzheimer's experts from around the nation. No matter what your relationship to Alzheimer's, the follow-up show will outline what you need to know about Alzheimer's and where you can turn for help.

As someone, whose own life has been dramatically, and forever touched by the ravaging transformations that Alzheimer's creates in my own loved ones. I am an ardent supporter for more understanding and research for the causes, prevention and potential cure for this terrible disease.

Please watch this show, knowing that if we live long enough, the statistics are that we, too, will be most likely affected by this disease. Join me as I watch the program from Salem, Oregon and show your own support by checking out Ami Simms and the incredible work she does at Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative, please check out the newest quilts on auction, or display venues, and consider contributing a Priority Quilt of your own.

And, please use Goodsearch to make at least two of your searches a day to benefit this wonderful project putting in Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (Burton, MI) as your benefit site of choice.

shown:
Jig Swatches Puzzle Quilt
(designed by Kelly Gallaher-Abbott for Jukebox Quilts)
Download Jig Swatches Puzzle Pattern

Quilting Snippets and Other Threadtales

It may be a record breaking heat day in Oregon and my cozy little sewing room may heat up in a hurry, but I'm hoping it's with 90% inspiration and 10% perspiration. Time to Quilt!

Busy, busy last weekend with Browser Freezes, Sitemeter, IE, Trojans and Other Fiery Viruses and Bugs that all seem to be resolved thanks to my obsessive-compulsive 'fix-it-myself'-even-if-I-don't-know-what-I'm-doing-itis.'

• On the quilting front, a patriotic String Quilting just got its final borders added on as I virtually did my Patriotic Quilting quilted along with the Heartstrings group and is now ready to have some binding pinned on.
• The lovely Michele Foster, one of my more delightful googledangers, not only featured me as one of her charity quilters a while back, but added my Free Quilt Patterns and its Widget-able logo to her last newsletter bringing in a quilting bus load of new viewers to this site with some delightful e-mails of introduction. Welcome Ladies! And I hope, even a few men ;)
• I am just about ready to start another "Priority: Alzheimer's Quilts" for my participation in Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative for donation...just fermenting some ideas in the quilty cauldron, for right now. My four 'seniors' (mom 83, dad 91, uncle 84 and MIL 92, are all doing the best they can and I am ever reminded of the importance of love, family and research for my own 50% of them with The Heartbreak of Alzheimer's. Gotta love our dear and precious aging family members with all our hearts! Without research and monies for it, our own time is a comin'! (Remember to use Goodsearch for at least two searches online a day!)


• I am continually taking out Sometimes A Great Notion and admiring its depths of meaning as I try to connect with the lovely Finn and her phenomenal ability to play with snippets from her scrapbag and still create masterpieces.


• Another wedding! Time to design another Personalized Wedding Gift and most likely another Freezer Paper Photo ( and Label!) Transfer Wedding Gift Pillow ! Love those, and the recipients are always completely delighted. Definitely not another toaster!


• And I am always grateful for the wonderful creative energies of other quilters and bloggers I totally admire like dear Quiltdivajulie who never ceases to amaze me with her resilience and creative sparkle. Her never-ending-connective kindness is a blessing in my life!


• I continue to spend at least an hour a day, reading as many of your quilting blogs as is humanly possible. And love my comments as its the easiest way for me to connect to readers and new-to-me bloggers! So much fun visiting your blogs!!!!


• To me reading quilting blogs and connecting with others is just as important as any actual sewing and quilting I might do...charitable or otherwise. It's connections with others that makes us human and helps to keep us that way. And in the heat of summer, in limited sewing spaces across the world, and with the world's divisive differences instead of connective recognitions of sharedness...that is far more important than the simple expression of creative ego;)


• And I am loving, loving, loving my morsbags making. Try it! I've made several dozen, have 6 more cut out and ready to sew!


• And speaking of creative ego (sorry ;) as I told DH this morning, 384 visitors by 7:30 a.m! I've got to get a post off the press! Well, folks, considering my 4 hours of sleep and 3 cats weighing me down while enjoying it, the heat wave moving in today, and lots of fun projects stewing in my project bowl......as I said.....TIME TO QUILT!

Browser Freezes, Sitemeter, IE, Trojans and Other Fiery Viruses and Bugs

Like a lot of you, I had browser problems all weekend. At first, I just had the 'unable to load page' warnings but then nothing worked. No searches, no blogger, no sitemeter, no favorites, nothing.

I'd known for weeks and weeks that mylivesignature had brought it some add-on virus that had infected my blog and I've seen in on so many others blogs, that I did a short post on it warning everyone and showing them how I'd discovered that viral issue.

DO NOT CLICK:

JUST USE CURSOR OVER BOTH PARTS OF THE LINE THAT FOLLOWS:

In The Line of Duty:This patriotic quilt was designed to honor police officers

Use your cursor to scan the first part of the link, you will see it is a correct linkage director. Now, use your cursor to scan the second half after the: you will see it instantly connects you to 'my live signature' instead. This is how a virus mutates and messes up connections.

I had to edit ALL of my blog postings...one by one, just to take out the direct linkage to 'my live signature' after each and every single link or post. I have always known you don't get anything for free from cutesy sites, but I only accidentally noticed that after I had added the cute signature feature many weeks ago, and then had blogging problems that this was why....this is a mutated viral infection. Luckily, I saw it and corrected it right off in my big listings posts. So, that was problem #1.

Now, this weekend, I was having problems with Sitemeter!

I knew that Sitemeter was under reconstruction and moving to a new site, but my blog was not among the listed numbers that will be most directly affected. Scheduled Outage August 3, 2008 (SM1, S17, S21, S26, S36, S37, S38, S39, S40, S41, S46 and S47)

and SiteMeter Icons Vanishing: "For the next 30 - 45 days we will be testing our servers and databases in preparation for the launch of our new SiteMeter platform. If you are currently using our NoScript tag (plain HTML) the little SiteMeter icon that appears on the pages where you have pasted our tag may dissappear. Please rest assured that nothing is wrong with your account. You can still log in and view your stats and all your traffic will continue to be tracked and stored. This is a temporary problem associated with the image only and will be resolved once we move the new platform." and: Web Sites Using SiteMeter Are Crashing with Internet Explorer

Then, I was having constant page loading problems described here:

When you click a hyperlink in an e-mail message or on a Web page, or right-click a hyperlink on a Web page and then click Open in New Window, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:
•Nothing occurs.
•The new window may be blank.
•You may receive a scripting error message that is similar to the following error message:
No such interface supported.
•Internet Explorer may not respond when you click Print or Print Preview in the File menu.When you try to connect to Web folders, you may receive the following error message:
The current operation could not be completed because an unexpected error has occurred

I attempted to use System Restore...Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore...and it failed over and over. I scanned my computer for viral infections, web trackers etc. repeatedly. I could remove the cookies and so on, but no virus was showing up.

I ran my free AVG...and Bingo: AVG found a Trojan virus that the others didn't!

Now What????

Looking that up and found this potential file corrosion by the virus:

•The following registry key is missing or damaged:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface\{00020400-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
•One or more of the following files is missing, damaged, or improperly registered:
•Urlmon.dll, •Mshtml.dll •Actxprxy.dll •Oleaut32.dll •Shell32.dll •Shdocvw.dll

RESOLUTION from Microsoft help: click here (only for the brave and careful!)

If the problem is still not resolved, re-install Internet Explorer.

I still had problems. I couldn't fix IE 6.0...so even with my slow poke dial up, I installed IE 7.0. Better, but still some problems. Ran the above 'resolution' again, replacing/redirecting the damaged files. Worked!!!!

I quickly made a new System Restore Point...same progression from the start menu, above, only click on 'create new restoration point'...so I could at least restore back to this working point if more problems creeped up.

With all of our add-ins, and all of the changes being made by others, we have to keep up with our virus definitions, updates etc. And try more than one...they hide just like human viruses do.

It's not just Internet Explorer

If IE is infected, try Mozilla. If Mozilla is infected, try IE. We're taking in add-ons, adding in add-ons (like Sitemeter and other counters) and adding frills and fancies (like mylive signature and other glitzy fun things)

shown above:

By 10 pm on August 2, I had the sitemeter page back and I was almost as hot as my graph 'flames' looked! Phew!!!

Butterfly Quilts + Free Butterfly Quilt Patterns

Butterfly quilts are still much sought after and beautifully popular. As symbols of re-birth and metamorphosis, we are drawn to their symbolic imagery of awakening to a new life, new opportunities and the chance to be 'born again' into all that we wish and dream we might become.

I have been collecting free butterfly quilt patterns for some time, and was motivated by the beautiful butterfly quilts at the 2008 Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show in Sisters, Oregon to combine those quilt photographs with my free butterfly quilt patterns collection.

Butterfly Garden

Butterfly Quilt:filled with colorful butterflies & easy to follow pattern by Janel Lyles.Download Instructions Click here to download a .pdf.

B is for Butterfly:

Click here for templates A Click here for templates B Click here for templates C

Colorful Butterfly: easy butterfly block

Another Easy Butterfly: quick and easy butterfly block.

Batik Butterflies with a hint of an Amish look.

Butterfly Quilt Block Pattern: jiffy instructions from McCalls.

Jewel Butterfly Quilt Pattern :one applique shape, embellished with embroidery




Fluttering Butterfly: quilt block that is great for the beginner.

Scrappy Butterflies Crib  

Applique Butterfly

Butterflies, Wonky Free Piecing Tutorial by Lynne of the Patcherie Menagerie



Butterfly BlockTutorial by Mrs. Schmenkman Quilts



Charming Butterfly Blocks by Ferne

Zen Garden Butterfly: free butterfly quilt pattern courtesy of Jane Sassaman



http://www.freeapplique.com/applique.data/shapes/butterflypattern3.jpg

http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/fluttering-by-butterfly-quilt-block.htm


http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/fluttering-by-butterfly-quilt-block.htm

Quilt Blocks Image Gallery

See more pictures of quilt blocks.
©2007 Publications International, Ltd. The Fluttering Butterfly quilt block is

http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Home/Crafts/DIY-Decor-Miniature-Applique-Quilt.html
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Photo: © Leigh Beisch
Project excerpted from Whip Up Mini Quilts:

• Huge List of Free Quilt Block Patterns
• Free Babies, Childrens Quilt Patterns
• Free Sunbonnet Sue and Sam Patterns
• Free Heart Themed Quilt Patterns
• Free Snowman Quilt Patterns
• Free Sewing Accessories Patterns
• Free Breast Cancer Awareness Quilt Patterns
• Free Patriotic Quilt Patterns
• Liberated Quilting: Free Patterns, Blocks, Ideas&Tutorials
• Free Butterfly Quilt Patterns
• Free Easter Quilt Patterns
• Free St.Patricks or Irish Quilt Patterns
• String Quilting:Tutorial and Free Patterns