Quilting Class

Way back last year sometime, I mentioned at work to my Pastry Chef Chelsea, that I thought it might be fun to learn to quilt. I do really think it would be fun, but after I told her that I filed that dream away. I figured I would probably never learn how and it would just be a dream like me learning to street fight or becoming an Olympic Swimmer (referring back to the August of 2008 blog titled I love the Olympics). Right as the semester started at Lewis and Clark, Chelsea told me she found a quilting class for us to take if I was interested. Well, I never thought she was actually going to find a class for us to take. My response was...of course I am interested!
We signed up picked out our fabrics and I headed to Vancouver for class. Well, The thing is, I haven't sewn since 6Th grade. I don't remember how to use a sewing machine and really all I made in class was an apron. I figured that it can't be brain surgery I am sure I can figure it out! So, me being me, I waited until the night before the 2ND class where Block 1 was to be finished to start working on it. Luckily enough I have this fantastic friend named Hannah who invited me to her parents house to sew with her. I got there and thankfully Nancy (Hannah's Mom) was there to help. Between Hannah, Nancy and I we got the first block done. Wow, Sewing can be very complicated. I had no idea. We had so much fun that we talked about starting our own quilting club!
I went to the class the next day but couldn't find my book or block. All I could think was that I left it on top of my car and lost it somewhere in SE Portland. Long story short...the book and block somehow maneuvered its self between the passenger seat and the door, then slid all the way under the seat. Not to sure how it did that!
the second block I did, I worked on all by myself and it's kind of a mess up close but I am still proud of it...seriously 6Th grade was the last time I remember sewing!

Here are the pictures of my blocks!
The Fabric


Block 1


Block 2

Tori and Andy's Wedding Cake

My old roommate Tori asked me to do her wedding cake. Here it is! It made it through the whole day of rain and never melted! Awesome!

Moving Part 2!

I really don't enjoy looking for places to live. It's a little stressful and I hate to make the commitment to the lease and really I just hate it! Luckily enough I have this pretty awesome cousin who lived in SE Portland in a 2 bedroom house all by herself! She knew I was moving and asked me if I wanted to move in. At first I said I couldn't cause I came across this sweet deal to live in Wilsonville, rent free! A Starbucks customer of mine said the house was his mothers and when she past away they started using it as storage. He offered it to me free of charge! Awesome! Well, turns out it sits in Charbonneau (which is a golf club) and well, I would have to pay club dues, utilities and the added cost of the commute to my Starbucks out at the airport. When I went out to look at the house it was not so much trashed, it was just that the last person who lived there (his niece) never cleaned it. So, you know when you are cleaning out a room and move some furniture you find a build up of dust or random items such as paper clips, old receipts, pens, scrap paper....etc. She never cleaned that up or vacuumed up all the dog and cat hair. While showing me around the house we came across a cat box that had been there for a year! Not Cleaned! Sick!
Aside from the nastiness of the house, it was so out of date! I had never seen the style microwave that was in there. It had all sorts of dials and no buttons. It was weird! So, needless to say I decided against the gross "Free" house.
That very day, I sent Laura, my cousin a little note asking if she was still in the market for a roommate. Turns out she was, about a month later, I moved in. Highlights to Laura's house:

An upstairs room, with a blue walls and big window!

A big kid bed (I used to sleep on a twin sized bed).

My very own bathroom!

a Giant closet that has a little step in it. Seriously the step was my favorite part!

A microwave and saran wrap.

a pantry that can hold my mixer so I don't have to haul it up and down stairs.

Tonya (a friend of ours) comes over all the time and sometimes we cook.

There is a sewing machine that I can use for my quilting class.

A treadmill in case I want to use it.

I am sure the list will continue to go on the longer I live here. Thanks Cousin Laura for taking me in, I really appreciate it!

Moving!

For the last 2 years I have been living in the basement of my good friend Tori's house. I loved it there and had Tori not gone off and gotten engaged I would most likely still be there. Don't get me wrong, I am so happy for Tori! I just don't care to move and CHANGE things. Here are some fabulous things I loved or learned while living with Tori!

Watching Prison Break and lost while eating beans and rice or Totino's pizza. With Murphy snuggled in between us on the couch.

She loved Murphy and all his grossness just as much as me!

Learning to live with out a microwave and saran wrap.

That mini chocolate chips make banana bread yummier.

if you want to you can crochet your own kitchen rags and cotton balls.

She always cleaned the bathroom and never asked me to do it.

Walking to the Hollywood Farmer's market and buying veggies.

Walking to Laurelwood and me having a beer and her having a glass of beer cause she is a bit of a light weight.

Grocery shopping at Trader Joes.

Waking up to go to work or the gym and she was just going to bed or getting home from work.

Sometimes waking up at midnight and having a snack and chatting for an hour and then going back to bed.

Always supporting a McDonalds, Burgerville or Ice cream run.

Almost always knowing exactly what to say and how to fix most situations.

Chasing the mice.

I have been friends with her since JR. High and we have always kept in touch. I probably hadn't seen her in a year or two when I moved in. We hit it off as roommates! Thank you Tori for all your love and support over the last 2 years! You have really made my life a lot better! Congratulations on your engagement/marriage to Andy, he is so nice and as you know loves you so much! I could not be happier for the both of you!