Block of Valor Drive

I've been having fun making some blocks for the is  big block drive at Alycia Quilts for Quilts of Valor.  She is collecting two types of blocks this time. 

String blocks:

and these blocks:

You can see that I made twice as many of the strings.  They are seriously addictive and fun to make.  My supply of blue, however is really running low at the moment.  The drive is open through October so maybe I'll pick up some more blue on my next trip to the fabric store.  Postage for the blocks is also reasonable.  I fit 15 into a flat rate priority envelope for $5.05 (online rate) but I think you could even mail them for less using first class parcel rates. It's a great way to participate in a worthy organization.  Alycia takes these blocks and magically transforms them into some awesome quilts.  Hop over to her web site and see what I mean.

She also has some great sponsors offering prizes.  Every five blocks gives you an entry into the giveaways.  But, honestly, the real prize is being able to show thanks to those who have given us so very, very much.

 

Some Good Customer Service

My previous post was a bit of a rant.  And while that incident was indeed frustrating, I know that in the larger scheme of things, what I encountered was an inconvenience and not a major life problem.  There are so many more serious things in life than that.  And so, as a balance my last post, I would like to tell you about two accounts of excellent customer service.  These happened on the same day as my ugly Post Office experience. 

During that same day I went to the drug store to pick up prescriptions.  The drug store is a frequent stop for me of late. Prescription management can get complicated. I expected to find one for my husband and one for me awaiting pick up,  but only mine was there.  When I inquired about his, the clerk checked his record, determined that it indeed was time to fill it and immediately filled the script so that I wouldn't have to make a second trip.  How very nice. 

And next....

I was trying to get a nice picture of my husband and his grandson from his recent visit to frame.  We all know that photography is a challenge for me.  I took several photos of the two and one (only one, I'll add)looked great on my computer. But when I printed it out it was dark and lacked contrast.  I put the file on a USB drive and went to a local independent photo lab and explained my problem.  The clerk could have told me to use the computers in the store, alter the photo, and submit it to be printed. Instead she went the extra mile and altered and submitted my photo herself on the self serve computers available in the store, all while also serving two other customers.  I paid $1.14 for three photos that were ready in an hour and received three more for free!?!  And she smiled.  

 

An Open Letter to the U.S. Postal Service

Dear Post Office,
I like you.  I like having mail delivered to my house and look forward to it each day.  I am one who will be sad to see Saturday delivery stop, even though I know you are just trying to make things work. I use your service to mail packages and even defend you to my husband who is a UPS fan.  But I have to say, you really let me down yesterday.  Let me explain my complete frustration.

I had a package to mail from Virginia to Florida.  It weighed 3 pounds.  I like to use the online service because I can compare prices without a line of people behind me impatient for me to make my choice and I like the small discount I receive for conducting my business online.  When I did this with my package, comparing a flat rate box and my box, I discovered that the least expensive way to mail this was with a box called Regional A.  Now, I didn't have such a box at home, but you very nicely list the box dimensions and I could tell that it would fit my items perfectly.  So, I paid for and printed my label, gathered my items and went to the post office expecting to box it up there.

I was the only one in the Post Office when I arrived. After studying the display and having trouble deciding which of the practically identical boxes (honestly, these are the SAME box except that some say "Priority", some "Express" and some "APO") I needed, I asked the clerk for a Regional A box.  Imagine my surprise when I was told, "We don't carry those boxes. You have to order them online."  Huh?  Really?  You offered me a postage rate, charged my credit card, allowed me to print postage without whispering a word about the difficulty in finding a Regional A box.  I asked if any of the nearby post offices might have one and was provided with phone numbers to call and ask.  I called the numbers from my car, but none of them had the elusive box. When I inquired about using the label I had paid for, or perhaps getting a refund the desk clerk really didn't know how the internet postage worked, but she thought that was possible if I went back online.

Now, I can buy a tangible item like a pair of pants from a retail store online and decide to return it to their store in the mall without any trouble.  They are able to manage to restock this tangible item without trouble, issue me a refund and keep the store financially solvent, and make me feel like a valued customer.  I didn't really buy an item online from the post office, but rather a service that had yet to be delivered, but I can't receive my refund from the store...only online.  Something is wrong here.

So, to make this already long story a bit shorter, I did a bit of calming, deep breathing, drove home, requested a refund online (I will give you credit here....that was an easy process), printed out a new label using my box which oddly costs me more even though you are not actually providing me with a box, packed my items, got back in my car, drove back to the post office (We will skip the part about how much bigger this is making my carbon footprint), parked, stood in a long line and, finally, submitted my package for delivery.  Phew.....Honestly now, it shouldn't be this difficult.  Let me point out a few things:

• It's silly that you charge me more to use my own box.
• You don't carry that many boxes.  Why on earth offer postage on a box that you don't stock in the post office?  If Regional rates are being phased out, at least give me a hint on the website. After all, your new ads claim that I am your priority.
• It would seem that you are trying to encourage people to use the online services.  It would be very helpful for the desk clerk to know something about these services.
• It would be helpful to integrate online and in person services.
• The whole system is still confusing.  All three boxes: priority, regional A and my box are about the same size and would be handled the same way probably by the same people and/or machines.  Why even have three options anyway?
• A box is a box is a box.

In a customer service oriented post office the encounter would have gone like this:
Me:  "I need a Regional A box."
Clerk: "We don't carry those."
Me: "I've already printed out my postage.  Do I have any options?"
Clerk: "Let me call around and see if I can find you a box."
                                  or, even better:
           "I'm so sorry for the confusion.  Let's take a regular Priority Mail box and write Regional A    on it for you and use your already paid for label.  After all, a box is a box is a box."

I still like you Post Office, but, seriously, you can do better. And for both of our sakes, you NEED to do better.

Sincerely,
Nina


 

More Fun in the Sun

In spite of all the problems I had finishing the Fun in the Sun quilt a few months ago, my niece absolutely loved it.  In fact she decided to use it as the inspiration piece to decorate her home office and asked me recently to create some pillows to accent it on the day bed.  Actually I made pillow shams and she will fill them when they arrive.

I had a few odds and ends of the fabric left, bought some white and a little yardage from the same collection (most of the fabrics were Ticklish by Moda with some add ins from my stash) to make pillowcases and here's what I came up with:

 

 

The square ones will hold 16 inch pillows and the larger ones will hold standard bed pillows.  They all have envelope backs and flange edges.

 

Then I decides to make two pillowcases, just because:

 



So, hopefully these will help accent the quilt.  The link to the "rest of the story" about the quilt is above, but here's a picture of it:

 

The Embroidered Quilt

I've finally finished this one!  This is the project for a Craftsy class by Eileen Roche that I started at the beginning of the year.  Not only is it a quilt finish but it is the first Craftsy class that I've finished. Being new to machine embroidery it was a challenge at first to understand the technique, but I think I'm falling in love with the idea of embroidering on a quilt.

Due to the limits of a home embroidery machine the quilt is made in strips of about 9 inches.  A continuous technique is used so that you can create an embroidery that runs the entire width of the fabric by continual rehooping.  This project also used a raw edge applique technique along with the embroidery.

You had the option of embroidering on a full quilt sandwich of three layers.  This would have resulted in the bobbin side of the embroidery being visible on the back.  I chose to use a "quilt cracker" which is just the top fabric and the batting.  I pieced the strips together and then attached the back with lines of stitching on the sashing. 

As with any quilt I've ever made, there are things I like and don't like about the end result.  The back is a bit looser than I would like.  I think the raw edge applique is a bit out of sync with the elegance of the embroidery.  That might be due to my inexperience in the technique and the applique trimming.  I might have liked a more visible thread color on the grey parts...perhaps just a lighter or darker shade of grey.  I also think these embroidery patterns would look good without the applique in a contrasting thread color.  But all in all, I really like the end result.

If you have an embroidery module to your sewing machine I would recommend this course.  It made me a lot more comfortable with the workings of my machine and opened up so many creative possibilities.  Eileen Roche also has a lot of other embroidered quilt patterns on her blog and once I work through my current "to do" list (that would be 2014 or later) I may try another one.

 

Virginia Safari Park

Our grandson week was a bit of a "staycation" with us visiting area attractions, swimming, playing board games, going out for ice cream, and just generally enjoying his company.

One of the places we visited was the Virginia Safari Park.  I love this place, so having an excuse to visit again was fantastic!  You drive through the park and get to feed the animals from your car.  It's very, very well kept and tons of fun.  The grandson loves llamas...I've shared a few llama themed items that I've made for him...and the park was loaded with llamas.  Here's a few favorite pictures of the drive through part:

Then, there is a walk through part/petting part for closer animal interaction.  By far, my favorite was the Budgie Aviary.  They have hundreds of budgies - you buy a stick with some bird seed stuck to it and the birds will light on your stick and eat the seed.  It was huge fun!

There were also giraffes, pot bellied pigs, watusi cattle, zebras, kangaroos, camels (they ate the food buckets!)  It was a fun, fun day. 

Our Very Own Doggie Wellness Center!

I've posted a few times about swimming with Seamus and how very much he likes it.  I've even dreamed of being able to have a "Doggie Wellness Center" where owners and dogs could swim together.  Up until now our pool swimming was limited to once a year on Labor Day weekend when our town pool opens to dogs and their owners.  Right after this hairy event, they drain and winterize the pool.

Back in the winter, son #2 (who lives within five miles of us) bought a house with a pool.  Prior to closing they had never even taken the cover off to look inside.  Fortunately, it turned out to be a beautiful and well maintained swimming pool.  As he was learning how to manage it he asked a lot of questions to the pool professionals about allowing dogs to swim in it and he decided to open it up to us for use with Seamus. 

So, this week, with our 12 year old grandson visiting, we made use of that offer:

We swam three different days.  Seamus loved it, as always and he seemed to actually move better after the water exercise.  He slept well, too.