Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Pioneer Days!

Thank you so much for your emails and messages checking on us here in northern NJ after Sandy.  We were out of power for a full week.  Now I know why pioneer women of the 19 century kept journals.  Everyday seems the same!

My thoughts are with all my friends and neighbors who still may be out of power.

Here was our first stash of supplies.  We had to go out for more fire wood, candles, and ice.


Luckily we were able to eat out to get hot food.   Thanks Five Guys - you complete me.


Thank you to my friends who took me in for a meal, cup of tea and to charge my devices.  Your sheltering friendship really helped me through.

Here are some of the flying geese blocks that I exchanged with Jill and Susan.  I think I'll be going with this setting.


I did lots of hand applique' while listening to Winter of the World, by Ken Follet.   I finished the first border and got a really good start on the second.


To see more visit the Jubilee Quilt blog here.  In the post you can see how I made the pattern and prepped the vines and stem for applique.

On Sunday and Monday before the storm I started this miniature quilt to commemorate Sandy, aka Frankenstorm!
It is the Storm at Sea Pattern - appropriate right?  lol


The pieces are quite small.  This is how far I got when then the lights went out.


Now I'm off to cast my vote and bask in the heat of my cozy well lit home.  The Nor'easter is on its way tomorrow, so the candles and flashlights will remain on hand.



28 comments:

One Minnesota Quilter said...

The Reeses are very important survival food. Good choice. Remember to stock up for the next storm. ;)

All of your projects looked comforting and fun to work on...the Frankenstorm is a fun memory quilt. :)

Judy

Diane said...

Soooooooooo glad you are safe and able to ride out the storm with humor and applique. Love the fussy cuts in your storm at sea blocks.

Pinkadot Quilts said...

Glad you are back! You will have quite a story to put on the label of the very cool storm at sea quilt.
Hope the next storm does not leave you in the dark, we might be getting snow!

regan said...

Oh! We love Five Guys.....the closest one to us in is Mass! Dang! But whenever we're down there, we stop! Beautiful projects.....and boy, are those Frankenstorm blocks tiny! Woot!

Maureen said...

Sounds like you made the best of a bad situation! The Frankstorm quilt looks like another fun one. Yes, a very appropriate pattern. You sure did make good progress on your applique. What did you think of Winter of the World? Glad your power is back on. That was a long time to do without.

Lori said...

Only one bottle of wine? lol Love your bright and sassy flying geese! What a great swap!!

Jan said...

I've been thinking of you all week, Barb. Glad to hear you have power back and hoping that you don't lose it again in the next round.
Love your varied projects. The flying geese blocks are great!

Janet said...

Wow - the power comes on and right away you have a post full of inspiration!! What great flying geese and I love the setting. Your Frankenstorm blocks are marvelous - great Halloween colors.. The applique borders are lovely - I can't wait to see them with the rest of the top :0) Enjoy your power!!

Judy in Michigan said...

Thank goodness you are ok. I was thinking of you every morning when I checked your blog. I'm glad you were able to keep your sanity. I'm guessing you didn't suffer any damage (?) Perhaps refrigerated and frozen food, but no property damage? Good luck with the next storm and so glad you can be optimistic and not blame the government.

Judy in Michigan said...

Oops, forgot to say how beautiful your applique borders are...just gorgeous!!

Laurie in Iowa said...

Wonderful news about your power being restored. I heard from a friend in Upstate New York who also had her power restored last night. Seeing the devastation Sandy wrought on my childhood home state has been heartbreaking. Those teeny tiny quilt blocks are amazing.

Dawn said...

So glad your power is back. Love your projects. Beautiful borders.

Pat said...

Great to see your post and know you have power & are safe. What a horrendous situation for so many...

Love your Frankenstorm quilt - be sure to include the historical significance on your label!! Take care and continue to be well and safe.

Kyle said...

Well, at least you had Reese's , Five Guys, wine, and retained your wonderful sense of humor. Your flying geese are just
So wild! Love 'em. Glad you were safe. Get ready for the next one.

Sujata Shah said...

So... So glad your power is back on! Those flying geese look perfect. You got a lot done without the power. You come up with the best way to translate life into quilts. Storm at sea is a perfect quilt although I am sure this storm will never be forgotten.

Jan said...

I've been wondering about you. Someone (I don't remember who) posted that you wouldn't have power for some time - should know that it wouldn't get you down & you'd be productive regardless! Hope this new storm does undo any of the progress that has been made in restoring some normalcy. Good to hear from you!

Ruth said...

Glad to hear that you finally got power. We were lucky in that we got it on Wed, but friends in a nearby-township still don't have any.
Stay warm and dry.

Anonymous said...

glad you are all ok, it just looks so bad in many places

Anonymous said...

Ha Ha!!! Frankenstorm, Barb you crack me up. Can't wait to see it finished and see what you put on the back of that baby.
On another, more cultured, note your Jubilee borders are beautiful. See? there was some good from Sandy after all. Pleased you're back online and safe and well.
xo

libbyquilter said...

alrighty then, i'm going to have to add caramel apples and reeses peanut butter cups to our emergency preparedness kit . . .

so good to see you posting again and i'm excited that you were able to get so much applique done on your jubilee borders~!!!~

the frankenstorm at sea piece is fun and what a reminder it will be of how great your emergency prep/survival skills were during this ghastly event.

:-)
libbyQ

Rachaeldaisy said...

I'm so glad your power is back on!! And that you have gotten through okay. You managed to get lots of fun sewing done. The Frankenstorm mini is so fun, I love the little fussy cut faces. Your friendly flying geese are looking wonderful and I love your applique of course. Once again I'm so glad you're okay!! Ps That burger looks delicious!!

Thimbleanna said...

Storm at Sea at Halloween -- you're brilliant! So glad to hear that you've fared well -- or at least fared LOL -- being without power for a week might not be described as "well".

Teresa Rawson said...

We would have been going out for more Reese's...hee-hee-hee...to Hell with the batteries, we'd just sit in the dark and eat leftover Halloween candy.

Your flying geese project is very inviting. I love how doing something different with simple units can totally inspire. The Frankenstorm is a GREAT idea...I know that with your recent experience, this will be a real conversation starter when finished.

Glad things are back to normal, if only for one day before the next one!

In stitches,
Teresa :o)

Linda in NC said...

What a great idea to commemorate Sandy Frankenstorm! (As if you'd forget otherwise! LOL) Hopefully there won't be so much to commemorate with the coming Nor'easter. Love all the itsy-bitsy fussy cuts.

The candy apples as part of your preparedness kit made me laugh.

Stay safe (again), and may your power not fail you (again). You are one resourceful woman!

Anonymous said...

Hi Barb , Glad you are all safe so are we that is what matters to me anyhow. I hear ya on the journal. When we started getting snail mail again I was so excited. I would have enjoyed it better if it was not for all the destruction. Praying everyday for every one in Sandy's path.
Meredith Quilthreads

Carrie P. said...

so glad to read you are okay! Hopefully you won't lose power with the storm coming. Looks like you are well prepared. Smart. Love that applique border.

Tonya Ricucci said...

woohoo for getting the power back. truly awful position to be in. love the Halloween SAS - perfect.

OPQuilt said...

So glad everything is fine. We were in Italy when the storm hit and I was frantic for news of my son and other relatives who were on the Eastern seaboard (and inland!). I'm so glad you all survived, although a week without heat is a real trial. Glad you had a lot of quilts to keep warm. And also glad that your fun sense of humor gave genesis to your Frankenstorm quilt. That will be a great memory of this difficult time.

Elizabeth E.