I Think My Thermostat's Broken

I'm guessing it's probably hormones, but I've really noticed lately that the temperature at which I'm comfortable has been swinging quite wildly.

In Sacramento during the summer months, even without any formal training in the field of meteorology, I can predict that the temperature highs will be between 95 degrees and 100 degrees, and I'd be correct about 98 percent of the time. Needless to say, the air conditioning runs a lot. Most of the time, I feel quite comfortable around 73 degrees. Lately, though, I can turn the air conditioning down to 70 degrees and stand in front of the vent and still be uncomfortably warm. Or, at other times, I can turn it up to 75 degrees and if I walk by a vent, I'm shivering with goosebumps. Tonight I'm chilly. Go figure.

Maybe it's just because I'm starting to think about autumn and then Christmas which comes so quickly after. Remember that secret mini I made for someone in my Thimbleberries Yahoo group? Tonight I opened a box that came in the mail containing a mini made by my good friend Pammysue for me. I had the pleasure of meeting Pammysue and her dear husband Fred a couple years ago when our group had a little retreat in Utah--I just wish they lived closer.

Here's a photo of the snowman wallhanging Pammysue made--I'm not sure how I'm going to wait another couple months before I can hang it, but it's definitely got me thinking about the fall and winter months ahead!

Pammysue and I have a mutual love of Starbucks too. It was not unusual at the retreat for Fred to make emergency Starbucks runs while we sewed. Pammysue said she wanted to send me a latte but didn't think it would travel well, so she sent along a Starbucks gift card instead. Well, you all KNOW that will be put to good use around here!

Last night I went to Bear Paws & Hollyhocks for the monthly meeting of Jo's Little Women Club. I brought my hollyhock quilt for show and tell and ended up leaving it with Lindy--she wants to hang it in the shop for awhile if she can find room. I found myself signing up for a new six-month BOM designed by Kaye England too--it should start in January or February.

See that little suitcase there? We will each get one filled with fat quarters to make a quilt. We'll make two blocks each month and there will be additional projects along the way. The fabrics are awfully yummy--1800s repros--and Lindy was closely guarding her advance samples. No, I didn't take this photo, by the way--I "borrowed" it from someone's blog from Quilt Market.

Elaine, the gal who made the quilt near the bottom of THIS post, had made a pink and brown quilt similar to this one from American Patchwork and Quilting:

Elaine's quilt was hanging on the wall in the repro section, and it was only after I left the shop that I realized I hadn't taken a photo--ARGH! Her quilt is just wonderful! She had downsized the blocks a bit and used a scrappy assortment of pink and brown fabrics. In fact, I was so inspired, I left the shop with a few pink and brown fat quarters myself. I also left the shop with some blue and red fabrics. Can that have been because Elaine was piling up blue and red bolts to be cut for a new project she's working on? I bet it could be! I'll try to remember to take more photos next time.

When I left Bear Paws and Hollyhocks, the sun was setting and the clouds in the sky were lit up with different colors. I couldn't resist taking a couple photos, although the photos really don't do it justice.

By the time I was almost home, the sky was looking even better--I REALLY wanted to take a photo from the top of an overpass, but that didn't seem very wise, so I waited until I was stopped at a light. I wish you could have been with me to see it though!

The weekend is nearly here, and I'm inspired now to spend a great part of it in the Sweat Shop. I hope you, too, find inspiration--and the ideal temperature for your internal thermostat!