and a lot lighter. Wow you don't realize how many pictures and bookmarks you have until they disappear and you realize that although the set of blank disks is right next to you...you haven't touch them and have nothing saved since May 2008! O-k-a-y. Oh well, who needed all that stuff anyway.

It all started when hubby, who has an external extra hard drive to save all his goodies, finally broke the cord on that and couldn't get to any of his stuff. So as I use the main desktop, he figured he'd pop open the computer and stick his hard drive into this one and get off his info. Well mine must have just been waiting to die and too bad (teehee) that it was him that had his hands all over this mess and not me. So now I have a new hard drive, I'm no longer using windows...but Linux and I think I got the most important stuff back up and running again. I even have a new flash drive to save my stuff on from now on. I'm just bummed at some of the free patterns I lost, like Lynda Hall e-patterns...and my Jane Market Bag pattern. I can make it in my sleep, but I liked having the pattern. I might buy it again anyway. Now enough computer junk...a whole weekend fiddling is enough!

On to the more important stuff....Sewing stuff! I got my top done! After deciding what I wanted to use for the border, I found some online and ordered. Then I waited and what showed up was my second choice fabric. They didn't have enough of the original one. So I had to order it twice, but I finally got it. We tried taking an outdoor picture but this is not the best location and hubby did his best but, not the best. Not sure I'll use the tennis court fence again.

The quilt does look better than the picture! I really like how it turned out. Now to sandwich it up and get quilting. I'm also half way done sewing together the 9 patches top too. So both my July finishes for the Charming Girls will hopefully be done. Heck just finishing the top gets me one entry, I think.

I also wanted to show you a very cool picture. This (above) is the coat rack in my Orthopaedist's office. He and his wife collect all sorts of cool artwork which stays in his office. I snapped this the other day with my phone when I went for a check-up. I wish I had gotten the one of the lollipop. A giant big lollipop with a face on the sucker and a plastic wrapper!

Hard drive is in the freezer***!!

Idiot* husband opened the computer to hookup and retrieve info from his alternate hard drive and now MY computer hard drive is toast...T-O-A-S-T.

Why oh why did I stare at the disks on the desk and not open the package sooner.
Things to fix and replace and stuff to re-install once all the work is done.
*EDITED...I'll still be around but hubby's laptop is hard to navigate and no access to picture software, etc.....oh my latest bookmarks and pictures, oh well, Make sure you back up on a pen drive every week!! It's okay, I've learned not to get attached to such things....C'est la vie!!

*hubby's wording, he won't be mad. He's more mad at himself although he really didn't do anything. He just happened to be the one using it when it died. It would have happened anyway...too funny it was him!

***Supposedly this works part of the time to retrieve any data. Cross your fingers

My border fabric for the FQ quilt was sent Monday so, fingers crossed...it will be here tomorrow and I can add the borders and finish off the quilt top from the Dear Jane repro's.

In the meantime I got mt 9 patch project up on the design wall and laid out, all except for the side triangles. I'll add another row to the bottom once there is room, and start sewing! Progress is moving along!

I was over at my friend Carol's blog today and saw this...new button and a new club that centers on getting some old projects finished. Well I loved doing the "Spring to Finish" so why not. Kelly at Charming Chatter has started the Charming Girls' Quilt Club.

I love getting things finished and they have some great ideas for monthly entries and projects that you can either choose to do or not. No pressure...I like that. Plus when you finish your project you get entered into the draw for a gift certificate! What could be better!

SO I must pick a project that I have to get finished this month that's been sitting waiting for me to get done and I have just the one! Well two actually.

First up is getting all these swapped 9 patches into a quilt finally! Carol and I swapped these ages ago and they have patiently waited to be turned into a quilt. No more waiting! I washed my red fabric.... twice! and I'm ready to get cutting and sewing! The 9 patches will be alternating with a square of red on the diagonal.

Then for the second task I got the top together for my FQ quilt today and I decided to add the border after all, so that means waiting for the fabric I ordered on the 4th to be sent and arrive! Then I can sew on the border, sandwich and quilt!! I picked the green with flower bundles for the border and the lovely blue to the left of it for the binding. Can't wait for it to arrive!At the end of the month you have to post your completed projects to get your entries and potentially WIN the prize for the month! Hope you have a lovely July! Stay tuned for my progress!

Check out this fabulous give-away over at Lori's blog, Bee in My Bonnet! Amazing patterns for embroidery and lots of other things! Seriously good stuff over there. I found her blog 2 days ago and just got around to posting about the give-away because I was drooling so badly! But I plan to visit lots and lots a drool over her lovely patterns some more!! We all know how I love embroidery! Now to find some plain white kitchen towels!

Make sure to click on her button over on my left sidebar to get right to her blog! Wow those patterns are so fantastic!

Sharon requested photos...and I also got an email asking how to lay it out if you don't have space...well I'd suggest the floor or your bed. But you don't have to lay out every piece, just plan where they are going. Here where my steps. Be warned my sewing room and design wall are messy!!

One.... lay out the center "4 patches" after sewing them so nothing gets repeated next to each other. That was "fun"...not exactly! Don't have a piccy of that part. Then I laid out the matching color that goes stair stepped up from each 4 patch. I put them on a slant but they don't stay that way.

Then you have a color that fills in the space on each of the 4 sides and you want those to all be different and making sure nothing ends up next to each other. It took me about 15 minutes to put them all around. They aren't perfect but they worked well for me. You seriously can't get them all even spaced out, but I tried my best.

I always take a picture so I can remember how it's laid out once I start taking down block after block to sew!

Progress for the day! I've even changed a few spots by now as they came up. These are big 18x20 blocks so you only need 12 for a 68 x7?something quilt. I think it will be a nice summer quilt once it's all done.

PS: the two missing are waiting on deck for sewing...one almost finished and one waiting it's turn!