8.22.2008

Phelps fever

I'll give you one guess what I've been engrossed in these past few weeks ...

The Olympics have been amazing this year! My top two Olympic sports, gymnastics and swimming, have really been a joy to watch. Michael Phelps, who I joke about being my secret boyfriend, kept me on the edge of my seat so many times! I admit I have a tendency to get a bit too engrossed into sports, but my poor neighbors must be hating me. So many times I'd be yelling at the TV, trying to spur him on to another gold medal. The relays were so nerve racking, but so much fun to watch. It just amazes me how tough, strong and quick all these swimmers are. I'm so totally jealous of their skills.

The gymnastics events turned out to be a lot of fun to watch as well. Nastia Luikin won all-around and I couldn't have been happier for her. I've been a fan of hers for years, and it's nice to see that all her hard work over the years paid off. I saw her compete at the National Championships in 2005 (I think) in Indianapolis. It was my first real gymnastics competition in person, and it was so cool to see her win there.

All through the Olympics watching, I've been working on my bright strip quilt. I'm hand quilting it in circles -- tons of circles of different sizes just scattered across the quilt. I'm tracing all kinds of circular objects I find in my apartment - plates, bowls, cups, prescription bottles, spools of thread, etc. I love how it looks so far, but like pretty much every project I start hand quilting I can't get over how long it takes to do! I guess it is similar to childbirth in that way ... it's traumatic while it's going on but you kinda forget that after because you have something great because of it.

Of course all this hand quilting is NOT doing me any favors when it comes to our stashbusting contest. I am in last place!!! That's just pitiful and hard for me to take, since I can't help but be competitive in everything I do. I'm sorting through all kinds of quilting magazines and photos looking for my next project. I have to try to avoid my usual downfall though ... too many little pieces! I love complicated patterns with little bits and pieces, but like the hand quilting, it takes forever and a day. And while I have a lot of free time, the clock is ticking on the stash busting deadline! Wish me luck!