Wow! I cannot believe its June 1st. Where the heck did The month of May go? My normal routine got so off track I didn't know what day it was. Last month was one of the hardest months that I have had in a very long time due to two major problems that cropped up.
1). My Gammill quilting machine went on the fritz and required two separate repairs visits from the Gammill guy. The switches went and everything seemed wonky. It turned out it wasn't the motherboard, which was good, but after 6 hours on the first try we determined it needed to have some major components replaced that had been improperly installed in last fall. The new dealer and repair team were awesome! They realized that the breeze track was bent and damaged and the tracks were crooked and bent. Because these parts were less than a year old, they should have been under warranty. They checked and after some serious backtracking with Gammill, determined that they could offer a complete replacement of the new parts for me. The parts were shipped directly to my house and Jerry the repair guy came within 3 days to reinstall them. We added a few other new parts including a new rotary hook to the mix and 3 hours later I was quilting again on a "cheater cloth" quilt to ensure the stitching was perfect. Jerry mad sure everything was working like new befor he left. I highly recommend Thread Runs Thru It quilt shop owned by Lori and Steve and their Gammill Tech, Jerry.
2). The love of my life, Mike, was diagnosed with chronic heart failure and required open heart surgery. Two lengthy stays in the hospital and a big surgery overtook our lives and we are very fortunate to have a wonderful team of doctors, nurses and medical staff to repair his Aoertic valve. He did very well and came home for the hospital just 6 days after the surgery. He's been home 10 days now and is healing nicely and feeling so much better. He still cannot drive, lift anything heavy, push or pull anything, or walk the dogs, but despite getting tired easily and having undergone a major surgery just over 2 weeks ago, things are looking up and we can soon get on with our lives.
So, most importantly, Mike is on the mend and his heart is working better than ever. His chronic cough and breathing and lung issues have all but disappeared. It is amazing how closely the entire cardio vascular and air supply systems in our bodies are interconnected. I want to thanks all of the staff at Englewood hospital and our friends and neighbors that have helped us while we went through this. I couldn't have dealt with all of this without your support last month.
I also want to thank all my wonderful customers that have been so patient while I wasn't able to work on their quilts. Everyone was really nice when I explained what was going on with the machine and I can't thank you enough for allowing me the pleasure of quilting for you.
I feel very blessed and loved by those that matter to me and I am grateful that Mike is feeling so much better and I can quilt again and work through my backlog of customer quilts and projects. Looking forward to the month of June, things are really looking up these last few days.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Friday, April 25, 2014
Quilting Friends Retreat Invitation
We had so much fun on our spring retreat in March at the Cross Roads Center NJ, I decided to go ahead and book another one closer to the end of 2014. Two nights and three days didn't seem long enough for many of us that attended, so I have booked the retreat for a Wednesday - Sunday, a 5 days/4 night quilting retreat/excursion.
Here are the details:
Dates: Wednesday, November 12, 2014 - check in starting at noon through check out by 2 p.m. Sunday, November 16th.
What's included: 13 meals starting with lunch on Wednesday, through lunch on Sunday. The food is served family style in a log cabin dining hall 3 times a day at pre-determined times.
I can attest that the food was very tasty, plentiful, widely varied and the staff is willing to accommodate special dietary needs if notified in advance. Here is a picture of the dining hall.
No stairs and best of all, NO DISHES!
A clean room complete with fresh linens and private baths, each with two twin beds, small table and chairs, dressers and heat/ac temperature controls.
The sink is outside the bath area, which make is convenient for both occupants.
Nice, thick, thirsty towels. 
A beautiful, shared workspace with extraordinary lighting.
The main room also boasts a nice, modern kitchen completed with granite counter tops, a big fridge, microwave, sink, dishwasher and coffee pots. Plenty of room for sharing healthy snacks and goodies.
In addition, there are two nice sized rooms that can be set up as cutting and pressing areas, complete with tables and chairs, and large screen TVs if you want to watch some DVDs while you sew. Each of these rooms also have closet space, design wall space and coffee, fridge service. They are located at either end of the same building we will be using. There is also handicap ramps to these rooms if needed.
Okay, so you are probably asking yourself, what's all this fun going to cost?
5 days/4 nights stay (Wed-Sunday) is $323 per person/double occupancy. ($110 deposit due by May 23rd to reserve your spot)
Should you require a private room (based on availability), it will cost you $30 more total, or $353. ($120 deposit due by May 23rd to reserve your spot.)
3 days/2 nights stay (Fri - Sunday) is $185 per person/double occupancy. ($65 deposit due by May 23rd to reserve your spot.)
Private room rate for Fri-Sunday will be $215 (based on availability). ($80 deposit due by May 23rd to reserve your spot.)
Crossroads Christ Center can host up to 30 people. We need to guarantee at least 15 people to get the meal plan. Since there is no stove available, this is what I have booked initially for 20 people. Space is available on a first come, first serve basis.
A deposit is due within 30 days of my signing the contract with Crossroads or May 23rd. The remainder of the retreat payment is due 20 days prior to the start of the retreat, on or before October 27, 2014.
This will allow me to give them the final count two weeks prior to the retreat.
You may make the check payable to CrossRoads Retreat Center and send it to me before May 23rd to reserve your spot. Please specify your preferences and provide me with your contact information (name, email address and phone number) when mailing your check to me at:
Diane Fama
31-12 Rosalie Street
Fair Lawn, NJ 07410
I will do my best to accommodate room-mate requests. I am also happy to answer any questions via email at: njquilter58@gmail.com
The retreat center's website is:
www.crossroadsretreat.com
Here are the details:
Dates: Wednesday, November 12, 2014 - check in starting at noon through check out by 2 p.m. Sunday, November 16th.
What's included: 13 meals starting with lunch on Wednesday, through lunch on Sunday. The food is served family style in a log cabin dining hall 3 times a day at pre-determined times.
I can attest that the food was very tasty, plentiful, widely varied and the staff is willing to accommodate special dietary needs if notified in advance. Here is a picture of the dining hall.
No stairs and best of all, NO DISHES!
A clean room complete with fresh linens and private baths, each with two twin beds, small table and chairs, dressers and heat/ac temperature controls.
The sink is outside the bath area, which make is convenient for both occupants.
Nice, thick, thirsty towels. 
A beautiful, shared workspace with extraordinary lighting.
The tables are large, and there are couches and chairs in addition to the tables and comfortable sewing chairs for all.
There is a gas fireplace and a shared, handicap accessible bath off this room.
There is even a beautiful deck off the main center room, perfect for reading and getting fresh air and sunshine.
There is a gas fireplace and a shared, handicap accessible bath off this room.
There is even a beautiful deck off the main center room, perfect for reading and getting fresh air and sunshine.
In addition, there are two nice sized rooms that can be set up as cutting and pressing areas, complete with tables and chairs, and large screen TVs if you want to watch some DVDs while you sew. Each of these rooms also have closet space, design wall space and coffee, fridge service. They are located at either end of the same building we will be using. There is also handicap ramps to these rooms if needed. 
Okay, so you are probably asking yourself, what's all this fun going to cost?
5 days/4 nights stay (Wed-Sunday) is $323 per person/double occupancy. ($110 deposit due by May 23rd to reserve your spot)
Should you require a private room (based on availability), it will cost you $30 more total, or $353. ($120 deposit due by May 23rd to reserve your spot.)
3 days/2 nights stay (Fri - Sunday) is $185 per person/double occupancy. ($65 deposit due by May 23rd to reserve your spot.)
Private room rate for Fri-Sunday will be $215 (based on availability). ($80 deposit due by May 23rd to reserve your spot.)
Crossroads Christ Center can host up to 30 people. We need to guarantee at least 15 people to get the meal plan. Since there is no stove available, this is what I have booked initially for 20 people. Space is available on a first come, first serve basis.
A deposit is due within 30 days of my signing the contract with Crossroads or May 23rd. The remainder of the retreat payment is due 20 days prior to the start of the retreat, on or before October 27, 2014.
This will allow me to give them the final count two weeks prior to the retreat.
You may make the check payable to CrossRoads Retreat Center and send it to me before May 23rd to reserve your spot. Please specify your preferences and provide me with your contact information (name, email address and phone number) when mailing your check to me at:
Diane Fama
31-12 Rosalie Street
Fair Lawn, NJ 07410
I will do my best to accommodate room-mate requests. I am also happy to answer any questions via email at: njquilter58@gmail.com
The retreat center's website is:
www.crossroadsretreat.com
Spinach Artichoke Dip Stuffed Chicken Breasts
I have always been a big fan of any dish with spinach, including Spinach Artichoke Dip. However, the version you get in the restaurants is jammed packed with fat, calories, carbs and salt. There has to be a way to make this in a healthier version. So I set off to experiment.
You will need:
4 fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup fresh spinach leaves, shredded
1/2 cup drained, rinsed and chopped artichoke hearts. (Rinsing reduces the salt content by 25%)
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 TBSP of shredded low fat Mozzarella cheese
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 large clove chopped fresh garlic or 1/4 tsp of garlic powder
Non-stick cooking spray or Olive Oil
Trim all visible fat from chicken breasts, wash and pat dry. Set aside.
Mix spinach and artichoke together in a microwave proof bowl. Microwave in high for 90 seconds. Remove from microwave and stir in mayonnaise and the two cheeses. Add onion powder, black ground pepper and garlic and stir until well mixed. Set aside.
Grill chicken breasts in a hot grill pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray or olive oil to prevent sticking. Cooking time will vary depending on on the thickness of the pieces of chicken. Ours were pretty thick, so I grilled them for 7 minutes on each side and then split them down the middle almost all the way to essentially 'butterfly them" and and cooked them further butterfly side down until they were golden brown and done, but still juicy.
Flip breasts over so split side is up and spread 1/4 of the dip mixture across the top. Close each breast so dip becomes stuffing, reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook 2-3 minutes longer, until the filling is warm and the cheese begins to melt.
Serve immediately and sprinkle with additional cheese if desired. Enjoy!
You will need:
4 fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup fresh spinach leaves, shredded
1/2 cup drained, rinsed and chopped artichoke hearts. (Rinsing reduces the salt content by 25%)
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 TBSP of shredded low fat Mozzarella cheese
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 large clove chopped fresh garlic or 1/4 tsp of garlic powder
Non-stick cooking spray or Olive Oil
Trim all visible fat from chicken breasts, wash and pat dry. Set aside.
Mix spinach and artichoke together in a microwave proof bowl. Microwave in high for 90 seconds. Remove from microwave and stir in mayonnaise and the two cheeses. Add onion powder, black ground pepper and garlic and stir until well mixed. Set aside.
Grill chicken breasts in a hot grill pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray or olive oil to prevent sticking. Cooking time will vary depending on on the thickness of the pieces of chicken. Ours were pretty thick, so I grilled them for 7 minutes on each side and then split them down the middle almost all the way to essentially 'butterfly them" and and cooked them further butterfly side down until they were golden brown and done, but still juicy.
Flip breasts over so split side is up and spread 1/4 of the dip mixture across the top. Close each breast so dip becomes stuffing, reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook 2-3 minutes longer, until the filling is warm and the cheese begins to melt.
Serve immediately and sprinkle with additional cheese if desired. Enjoy!
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Modern Quilt For Austin
I was finally able to give my beautiful niece Austin her modern quilt that I had made for her. it was completely done in solid fabrics all shades and intensities of greens. It was strip pieced with a variety of long stripes from the different colors.
I decided that I wanted to break up the field of strips with something unexpected. So, I created several free form sets of small wonky blocks that could be considered improvisational piecing. I had learned this technique awhile back from a Ricky Tims class. I seem to recall he rendered to it as "dancing squares". I split the striped portions of the quilt both vertically and horizontally, inserted the wonky square sections, and sewed everything back together.
It's an oversized queen quilt. I quilted it with a very new, modern pattern that I really loved working with. Even though the pattern is a pantograph,the stitching contains many surprise elements and was fun to do on such a large quilt. I finished the quilt with my favorite magic binding technique which really framed the quilt edges up nicely and should last for years.
Now I am just waiting to hear if Austin or Jim had any special dreams sleeping under it for the first time...
I decided that I wanted to break up the field of strips with something unexpected. So, I created several free form sets of small wonky blocks that could be considered improvisational piecing. I had learned this technique awhile back from a Ricky Tims class. I seem to recall he rendered to it as "dancing squares". I split the striped portions of the quilt both vertically and horizontally, inserted the wonky square sections, and sewed everything back together.
It's an oversized queen quilt. I quilted it with a very new, modern pattern that I really loved working with. Even though the pattern is a pantograph,the stitching contains many surprise elements and was fun to do on such a large quilt. I finished the quilt with my favorite magic binding technique which really framed the quilt edges up nicely and should last for years.
Now I am just waiting to hear if Austin or Jim had any special dreams sleeping under it for the first time...
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
52 week Quilt challenge update - #7
I didn't want to publish a photo or story behind this quilt until after it had been given to the person for whom it was made. I was asked by Beth Rowan at rock, paper, scissors in Montclair NJ
if I would be willing to quilt a quilt top that she had created for one of our guild members who has been ill. Of course I agreed. Beth's request was simple, she needed it turned around quickly and to just do "big some swirly things on it."
I took it home and quilted it within 3 days. It was easy. I used a turquoise blue thread and found a pattern that was fast and interested called Modern Swirl. It looks like an 'evil eye' pattern to me. The person receiving the quilt had recently lost her eyesight due to her illness and I have found that in Europe, the evil eye is given as a gift to protect the one that wears or carries it around. I have several of these evil eye pendants and charms in my possessions from when I spent time in the Mediterranean area.
The quilt was carefully bound by Stephanie Mullen and presented to the sister of the intended recipient at our March guild meeting. I hope Peggy likes it. I decided that it could count as one of my 52 weeks of quilts challenge. So it is #7. It was lovely to work on this and know that her eyesight has returned...
In addition, I had quilted a very large queen size quilt for Peggy Kelleher and her sister showed it a the guild meeting. Below is a photo of part of the finished quilt which I actually finished in late February, hence why it is assigned #7.
Photography credit goes to Ashley Hinton of the NJMQG who snapped photos of both of these before they got away from me.
if I would be willing to quilt a quilt top that she had created for one of our guild members who has been ill. Of course I agreed. Beth's request was simple, she needed it turned around quickly and to just do "big some swirly things on it."
I took it home and quilted it within 3 days. It was easy. I used a turquoise blue thread and found a pattern that was fast and interested called Modern Swirl. It looks like an 'evil eye' pattern to me. The person receiving the quilt had recently lost her eyesight due to her illness and I have found that in Europe, the evil eye is given as a gift to protect the one that wears or carries it around. I have several of these evil eye pendants and charms in my possessions from when I spent time in the Mediterranean area.
The quilt was carefully bound by Stephanie Mullen and presented to the sister of the intended recipient at our March guild meeting. I hope Peggy likes it. I decided that it could count as one of my 52 weeks of quilts challenge. So it is #7. It was lovely to work on this and know that her eyesight has returned...
In addition, I had quilted a very large queen size quilt for Peggy Kelleher and her sister showed it a the guild meeting. Below is a photo of part of the finished quilt which I actually finished in late February, hence why it is assigned #7.
Photography credit goes to Ashley Hinton of the NJMQG who snapped photos of both of these before they got away from me.
I HATE JUNK MAIL!!!! The Big Shred...
Today was defined as a house cleaning day for me. I started my morning early to get a head start on the big task which was long overdue. With spring's arrival, the dogs go into their winter coat shed mode and the dust bunnies magically appear ready for Easter. A quick vaccuum wouldn't do the trick, it needed to be a get down on your hands and knees and really spring clean deal.
So after my first cup of morning joe, I sat down with piles of mail that needed sorting. Mike often brings the mail in for me and dumps it on the coffee table. I have to sort through it when I get time and lately, I've been so busy I hadn't made time except to glance at it and pull out the important items like birthday cards, bills, and health care coverage cards. The rest goes into 3 piles, magazines and flyers to peruse at a later time, obvious junk mail that needs to be shredded and or tossed and items that should be reviewed before being tossed. I know better than to just toss the junk mail, credit card applications, etc. I need to open those up, block out my identity and any other information that could be used by ID thieves, and then shred or toss.
I've come to the conclusion after spending almost 2 hours shorting through this stuff and filling two TJ paper bags full of recyclable paper materials, that I need to move my trusty shredder right upstairs by the front door and start to shred when the stuff first arrives. Why I hadn't thought of this before is beyond me, but its obvious that most of it can just be shredded and recycled rather than putting it off to review and then do to same in one fell swoop at a later date. My coffee table will thank me and I won't have this daunting task to deal with any more.
Back to cleaning for now.
So after my first cup of morning joe, I sat down with piles of mail that needed sorting. Mike often brings the mail in for me and dumps it on the coffee table. I have to sort through it when I get time and lately, I've been so busy I hadn't made time except to glance at it and pull out the important items like birthday cards, bills, and health care coverage cards. The rest goes into 3 piles, magazines and flyers to peruse at a later time, obvious junk mail that needs to be shredded and or tossed and items that should be reviewed before being tossed. I know better than to just toss the junk mail, credit card applications, etc. I need to open those up, block out my identity and any other information that could be used by ID thieves, and then shred or toss.
I've come to the conclusion after spending almost 2 hours shorting through this stuff and filling two TJ paper bags full of recyclable paper materials, that I need to move my trusty shredder right upstairs by the front door and start to shred when the stuff first arrives. Why I hadn't thought of this before is beyond me, but its obvious that most of it can just be shredded and recycled rather than putting it off to review and then do to same in one fell swoop at a later date. My coffee table will thank me and I won't have this daunting task to deal with any more.
Back to cleaning for now.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Quilt Retreats
I had the good fortune to be able to participate in a quilting retreat in NJ over the weekend. I believe there were about 23-24 of us there and everyone was lovely. I really enjoyed the energy in the main sewing area. Sometimes it was buzzing, loud and full of laughter and the sound of whirring sewing machines or the blast of the occasional steam iron. Other times it got very quiet when people were working as individuals and concentrating on their projects.
The retreat center was beautiful. The light filled room was huge, and we had plenty of room to work, visit, chat and sew. The one side of the main room was all windows, making the daylight delightful. Even at night the lighting was more than adequate.
Note the beautiful quilted panels on the wall in the second photo. They represent Earth, Wind and Fire...
Perfect inspiration for a group of quilters.
I've been to many retreats over the years and I found that this past weekend was truly the nicest whole package retreat. The sleeping accomodations were more than adequate, with twin beds, a shared bath with nice shower, plenty of hot water and thick, thirsty, soft towels. The rooms were spotlessly clean and well appointed.
I liked that the sink was outside the bath, so it was easily accessible and great for sharing. And each room had its own temperature control for heat and air/fan. No vent wars!
There were alot of bonuses at this place we stayed, including big decks, no stairs, a great kitchen area, a gas fireplace, and two other smaller conference rooms that we were able to use whenever we wanted to. One was turned into a cutting and ironing room and it had a large screen TV that allowed us to watch movies on DVD.
The main room had a beautiful galley kitchen for our use during our stay. They provided coffees, tea, dishwasher, fridge, microwave and there was plenty of counterspace for us to share goodies to eat.
We had pizza and salad the first evening after everyone had arrived. The other meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) were served family style in the dining hall. The dining hall is a real old fashioned log cabin that is literally a stone's throw walk away from the center where we stayed. There was always salad and plenty of choices for food, drink and sides. The staff was friendly, and they really did make some delicious food. At breakfast we had eggs, hash browns, toast, cereal, yogurt, fruit, cottage cheese, bacon or sausages, milk, coffee, tea, etc. They even were willing to accommodate special request from the guests, such as vegan or veggie sausages if you don't eat meat or pork. Lunches ranged from soup, sandwiches, chips, salad and drinks to baked chicken, veggies, rice, potatoes...choices too numerous for me to remember. Dinner was meatloaf. veggies, potatoes and it was plentiful and really tasty. No dishes and platters of cookies to enjoy at night. I was very happy with the food and I didn't hear any complaints from anyone that they didn't like it.
We quilted, we sewed, we shared, we laughed. Some slept, some napped, some read, some knitted or crocheted. I was even able to watch the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Conference Championships on my ipad because of the free wireless connections in the center. I think a few of the ladies may have stayed up all night and I know that a lot of sewing got done and there were some absolutely beautiful projects that were completed or almost completed.
I left on Sunday afternoon, thinking how lucky I was to be able to go, to now have a bunch of new quilting friends and to have learned and shared so much. Aleeda Crawley planned this terrific weekend and she did an amazing job ensuring that even the small things were taken care of so that everyone could relax and truly enjoy themselves. Thank you Aleeda and to the rest of the retreaters, can't wait to do it again soon!
The retreat center was beautiful. The light filled room was huge, and we had plenty of room to work, visit, chat and sew. The one side of the main room was all windows, making the daylight delightful. Even at night the lighting was more than adequate.
Note the beautiful quilted panels on the wall in the second photo. They represent Earth, Wind and Fire...
Perfect inspiration for a group of quilters.
I've been to many retreats over the years and I found that this past weekend was truly the nicest whole package retreat. The sleeping accomodations were more than adequate, with twin beds, a shared bath with nice shower, plenty of hot water and thick, thirsty, soft towels. The rooms were spotlessly clean and well appointed.
I liked that the sink was outside the bath, so it was easily accessible and great for sharing. And each room had its own temperature control for heat and air/fan. No vent wars!
There were alot of bonuses at this place we stayed, including big decks, no stairs, a great kitchen area, a gas fireplace, and two other smaller conference rooms that we were able to use whenever we wanted to. One was turned into a cutting and ironing room and it had a large screen TV that allowed us to watch movies on DVD.
The main room had a beautiful galley kitchen for our use during our stay. They provided coffees, tea, dishwasher, fridge, microwave and there was plenty of counterspace for us to share goodies to eat.
We had pizza and salad the first evening after everyone had arrived. The other meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) were served family style in the dining hall. The dining hall is a real old fashioned log cabin that is literally a stone's throw walk away from the center where we stayed. There was always salad and plenty of choices for food, drink and sides. The staff was friendly, and they really did make some delicious food. At breakfast we had eggs, hash browns, toast, cereal, yogurt, fruit, cottage cheese, bacon or sausages, milk, coffee, tea, etc. They even were willing to accommodate special request from the guests, such as vegan or veggie sausages if you don't eat meat or pork. Lunches ranged from soup, sandwiches, chips, salad and drinks to baked chicken, veggies, rice, potatoes...choices too numerous for me to remember. Dinner was meatloaf. veggies, potatoes and it was plentiful and really tasty. No dishes and platters of cookies to enjoy at night. I was very happy with the food and I didn't hear any complaints from anyone that they didn't like it.
We quilted, we sewed, we shared, we laughed. Some slept, some napped, some read, some knitted or crocheted. I was even able to watch the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Conference Championships on my ipad because of the free wireless connections in the center. I think a few of the ladies may have stayed up all night and I know that a lot of sewing got done and there were some absolutely beautiful projects that were completed or almost completed.
I left on Sunday afternoon, thinking how lucky I was to be able to go, to now have a bunch of new quilting friends and to have learned and shared so much. Aleeda Crawley planned this terrific weekend and she did an amazing job ensuring that even the small things were taken care of so that everyone could relax and truly enjoy themselves. Thank you Aleeda and to the rest of the retreaters, can't wait to do it again soon!
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