Forty-four things about me....

1.  I love to laugh.

2.  I love my daughter Amal.  She is the coolest kid. She is so smart and quick and demanding.

3.  I love my son Ali, he is more like me than Amal. He is funny and easygoing most of the time!

4.  I like the treadmill at a gym.  I was walking once and listening to my iPod and in particular to Shakira and fell because in my head I must have been on a dance floor and took a funky step and fell off.  The poor Omani ladies mistook my hysterical laughter as tears and were so frightened for me.  When they realized I was nuts, they never spoke to me again!  I think that is so funny!

5.  I miss my Mom a lot.

6.  I like Muscat in the winter the most.

7.  I don't like extreme anything; weather, ways people think...

8.  I want to learn more about history.

9.  I love to travel.

10.  I have been to North America, South America, Africa, Europe and Asia.  I think this is so cool!

11.  I need to visit Australia and Antartica.

12.  I always look forward to going home for a visit.

13.  I love my two cats and our outside cat Oreo.

14.  I love to go to the movies.

15.  I was an extra in White Palace and spoke to Luis Mandoki the director.

16.  I have been spit on by Michael Hutchence, lead singer of INXS.

17.  I'm still mad at him for dying.

18.  I name all my pets after some celebrity I am into at the time.

19.  I fell apart when my Shaboo died.

20.  I named my first pet, a cat, Shaboo that Liz gave me for my 21st birthday, after INXS album Shaboo Shabah.

21.  I love music.  You don't understand, I LOVE it.

22.  I like to cook.  Used to love it but it became a drag but now I'm getting back to where I can enjoy it.

23.  I love to eat.

24.  I don't like being around smokers or a smoky place.

25.  I  must have my toilet paper with the roll on top coming over.

26.  The pillow cases on my pillows must be facing towards the outside.  The fabric ends should be butting up to eachother.  I go mental if not.  Weird but true!

27.  I joined a book club so I could read more and broaden my horizon.

28.  I don't always finish my books and keep my mouth shut if so!

29.  I love quilting.

30.  I love scrapbooking.

31.  I must be creative in one way or another every day.

32.  I try to be a good and considerate house guest.

33.  I have to sleep on the right side of the bed.

34.  I miss speaking Spanish regularly.

35.  I miss dancing.

36.  I miss my mom's cooking.

37.  I love being a mother.

38.  I love the computer.  I'm good at keeping mailing lists and getting info out.

39.  I love hanging out with my babies.

40.  I don't need people's approval so much anymore.

41.  Turning 44 does not bother me at all.

42.  I'm fascinated by people and their stories.

43.  I used to believe that world peace was a possibility, I no longer believe that.

44.  I'm a dynamic, vivacious (Rob Reid said so) woman.

Today is my birthday! Here is my first card!

This is the lovely birthday card I received this morning from Ali, my ten year old.  Isn't it the funniest and most honest thing!!??  I just love it!  It's orange too!

Ali did this!

A friend was giving this little kit away with a bunch of scrapbooking supplies and I heard two ladies talking about this and they decided that they would not get to it and so then I thought my daughter would like it but SHE DID NOT!  So, I offered it to my son and he DID IT!!  God for you Ali!  She is lovely! 

Magazine Coaster

Isn't this cool?  Now I know what to do with my guilty pleasure 'magazines' that I buy occasionally.  I made this coaster from this tutorial.  It was fun and I only used five strips instead of the six in the tut.  It was a little cumbersome but I like this kind of stuff!  I know!  Now, for the MOST exciting part, notice who is in the middle????????  

Big Day for The Hubster

Here is Waqar, my hubby, in his formal attire. He was off yesterday to the Ministry to meet with some big wigs to sign a VERY big contract! It should be in the paper, so before I get the details wrong, stay tuned! This is good for anyone traveling to Oman by road and certainly good for our family!!!!

This is for all my Hardanger friends!

Here is my first project done for 2009!  I finished it a couple of weeks ago.  It started out being a pillow out of a Spanish magazine.  The count of the Lugana fabric is larger so the overall project is larger than desired.  Still, it is for my Amu and she brought up that even if I turned it into a pillow, Peachy would  probably sharpen her claws on it as she loves to sleep on Amu's pillows so.....it will be framed.  I need to see to it this summer!  Stay tuned for the finished, finished project!  It is so pretty and she LOVES it!

edit:  Can ANYONE tell me how to cross off my project on the sidebar?  I so looked forward to being able to put a line through the center or x it off but can't seem to figure it out and/or find the blogs that have done this and therefore inspired me.  HELP!!

Why?????????????

An hour's or more worth of quilting has to be taken out because of this.  I have ALWAYS had problems stippling with this machine.  It is very frustrating and annoying.  I'm off to the movies with my kids and have already started unpicking.  Oooohhh.....

MICHAEL JACKSON IS DEAD AT 50. I'm so sad...

I loved Michael Jackson.  I felt bad for his celebrity.  I felt worse for all the ugliness surrounding him.  He was here in Muscat.  My best friend got to meet him.  I'm so sad.  Don't Stop is my all time favorite song by him.  Rest in Peace and may God bless his children and their dubious futures and his family that he leaves behind.  I am so sad.

I'm so bummed!

My daughter and I basted the French Braid quilt yesterday and I have decided to stipple it.  It was painful to get on the floor but we did it.  I got to use my Kwik Klip tool to close the basting pins which really does save your fingers!  But...and this is where I am so bummed, the borders, the pieced borders are wiggly.  I'm not sure what I did wrong and now that I am done beating myself up about it, I need to figure it out so I can start quilting! If you have any ideas or suggestions, please let me know.  I'm thinking I will have to take apart the basting on the border bits and then unpick the join and take it in.  I don't know what to do!!!!!!  I always get these sucky problems.  Errrggghhh!!!!

Good Things

Ice Cream and Corn Flakes!  When I was little, I went to spend the day with my mom's Hondurian friend and she made this for me.  She put raisins in it too but my daughter wasn't bothered looking for them for me!  Yummy!
My friend lent me this DVD before she left for the states this morning but I did not get to watch it as it is not appropriate for the kids and they are up late these days due to summer vacation so I haven't gotten the chance.  I decided that I'm sending them off early to their beds and I will watch this later!  It's supposed to be very funny!

I'm Back....

I'm back on this blog.  I have organized and well, organized my bookmarks!  All the while listening to Yiruma and Van Morrison.  I have decided that I want to revamp my blog.  Out with the background and onto white.  We'll see.  I'm getting so antsy because my two hours are almost up and now I have to go and get my babies.  Thanks to JCHandmade, I will be making Chicken Paprikash and homemade Spaetzle for dinner tonight.  I have a Hungarian uncle and I went to Hungary with him and my aunt years ago and learned how to make them.  My girl just texted me to come now.  Bye!!!

Help!!

I'm not sure how to do what I want to do here.  Can anyone help me?  What I want to do is go to the WIP sidebar thing and link pictures to those projects.  Two whole hours without the kids since school let out and I have this renewed energy!  I cuddled Uki then let the municipality dude in to put down some poison in my garden and I will spare you what for??  Eek!  Then, I photographed about six quilts and refolded them and put them on my NEW quilt rack!!  I think I shoved too many on there but will leave it for now!

Perhaps I should wait and finish these guys before I post pictures of them.  Not sure what will motivate me more!!

Any suggestions on how to work this blog would be so appreciated!

Thanks

Tandoori Chicken

This is Tandoori Chicken with Dahl and veggies with Tandoori Bread that I taught my friend how to make the other day.  It turned out really well and so here you go!  Wanna learn?  Tell me so!

This is for YOU Eden!

My God, it took FOREVER to load this up.  Two days man. This is for you Eden and Isra!  This is what Amal, my daughter made for her friend that left last Friday.  You can click on the photo to read what was written if so inclined.  Otherwise, I'm done!!  Having said that, Amal did a great job and I only helped a bit!

Ali and Mrs. Allan

Here is a picture of my boy Ali and his lovely teacher, Mrs. Allan.  It has been the BEST school year EVER for him.  He had to repeat 4th grade and at first we were so upset.  The Arabic schedule for grade placement is different than the Western one.  Since he switched schools and systems, he had to stay another year in 4th.  Instead of being the youngest, he is amongst the oldest and it was really good for him.  Nice teacher, nice friends, great school, fantastic experiences! I texted her and she will be taking some photos for me so I will post them when I get them.  Pictures of what?  The book cover that I made her.  I think I'm done posting now.  House of Payne is on.  Love it...

My daughter got two awards!

My lovely daughter received two awards that were chosen by the staff.  

1.  Most Improved Student in ARABIC!!

2.  Demonstrating the IB Learner Profile:  Principled!!

You go girl!

Here she is receiving one of the awards.

Karmah's Going Away Present - the Book Cover!

Here is Karmah's book cover I made for her.  I CAN NOT BELIEVE that I forgot to take pictures!!!  I labeled it and wrote something inside with pink fabric.  Perhaps if you click on the photo you can see I quilted it.  I also forgot to get pictures of Ali's teacher's one which I cross hatched and embroidered!  I will ask her to send me some photos for my files and this blog. 

Book Cover

Here is the book cover that I intended for my daughter's friend whom is leaving bright and early tomorrow morning (boo-hoo!).  It was too plain so I made another one and quilted it and this one has been given to my daughter.  Where is that picture?  We are ALL Twilight fans and when I saw this monkey print I thought of her and bought enough to make pj's for my girl and they are my little 'spider monkeys!"
This is the inside flap and yes, it is one of the series of Twilight books.  I think New Moon. Edit:  I often proofread my posts and saw indeed that it is New Moon.  Gosh!
I did not have any ribbon to use so I made a ribbon out of leftover fabric and really liked the idea for a built in bookmark that matches.  I have since made them longer and wider.  Recognize this polka dot fabric?  It is from my French Braid (I know!)

Schools Out For Summer!!

School let out and we just said our goodbyes to my daughter's newest and best friend.  How sad.  My daughter is very stoic and doesn't show her feelings.  She got that from her dad.  Ali, my boy, on the other hand is extremely emotional like me and my Latino family!  Poor Amu was crying and crying and it broke my heart.  It is so hard to see your baby, even though she is 13! have a broken heart.  I hope these girls stay friends in the future and that we can travel to Jordan to see them.  Such a nice family!!  I have a new friend and she has a daughter that is Ali's age so she is spending the night!  She is lovely and quiet and hungry!  We ordered pizza and are waiting for it's delivery.  Oh, I must go as I have to go and call my bud whom is going to kiss the ground of St. Louis when she gets there in two days, I hope!  I am from St. Louis and am not traveling this summer.  I need to go and say goodbye to her now.  I have the scrapbook album my daughter made for her friend to post and my finished Hardanger pillow for my daughter that I will have framed instead.  Remember this angel in my home?  Yeah, I can't have any delicate things laying around!!  So, we are going to frame it.  I have my French Braid to finish up and I am piecing the back (1st time) and then will layer it and baste it and then I will be quilting it.  I will be putting myself on a schedule this summer.  After this is done, I intend to work on my spiderweb for a day or two and then I have to get busy on my summer challenge.  Having to pay 10 OR  (about 26-30 US dollars) for not finishing it is motivation enough for me!  I am so only on the 1st stage.  It was a mystery quilt.  These are fun.  I also intend in the near future (good I have this to refer to when I am exhausted or just confused having the kids around 24/7!!) to photograph and list all my unfinished projects.  Oh, oh, I have a few gifts that I made for kids and teachers that I want to post as well.  I have taken the photos but haven't organized them in iphoto yet.  I think I better stop now.  Thanks for taking a peek!

More French Braid goodness...

Here she is.  All done and leaning on my couch.
Here she is again behind a couch man.  We had a small exhibition of all the classes that we have taken and I was so happy to put my top up there.  Can't wait to quilt it.

I'm back!!

Peaches is really lovin' this quilt.  I realize now that it is too big to be a lap quilt and will fit my daughter's slightly larger twin bed.  She likes it but is not too keen on the colors so I don't know what I will do with it yet.  Peaches is my daughter's cat.
Here she is making biscuits on it while I am trying to finish it.

Been MIA for almost a month.  Only today a special friend mentioned she hadn't seen anything lately.  I have been so busy and NOT quilting or scrapping.  One more week for the kids' school and then they are here all summer.  I hope to find something to put them into.  Two and a half months of sitting on our duffs isn't making me happy.  

I finished my top for the French Braid.  I also made the backing but it needs to be made larger.  I know what to do with it.  Just need to do it.  Then, I will be sandwiching them and quilting them. The next project will be to photograph all my unfinished projects to put in the file.  I need help there.  Then, I need to get busy on my summer challenge mystery quilt.  I also am dying to work on my spiderweb.