I Had A Glorious Weekend

This past weekend I attended our Quilt Pocket Jamboree at the Heritage Hotel & Conference Center in Southbury, CT. This is the first time I have spent four days with quilters and all I can say is WOW! What a great weekend I had. I came home with way more items than I left with and I didn't spend a lot of money! Here are the goodies that came home with me.

First up - I'm always kidding DH that he needs to stop bringing home bags from the conferences he attends. Well, now he can kid me about bags. I came home with four new bags. Three were gifts and one came from a quilt shop we visited.

We did an Ugly Fabric Swap. Everyone started with one yard of ugly fabric. We tore it half, tossed half on our shoulder and passed half around the circle while music was playing. When the music stopped we tore the piece we had in our hands in half, tossed half on our shoulder and started passing the remaining piece around. We repeated this process several times. When we were down to a piece about 8 x 8 inches we took the first half yard of fabric and gave it to the person on our left. The fabric we had became our ugly fabric collection and our challenge is to make something out of all the fabrics. My collection is below. I actually like the brown teacup fabric. I don't know what I'm going to make yet.

Everyone brought a gift for everyone else. Here are some of the gifts I got. There's a Moda travel bag, a beverage wrap, needle book, two scissor fobs, a small holder for needle and thread, a needle case and a small wallhanging.

Here's the patterns I now have to work on. I'm excited about these patterns. The stitchery pattern is a Brownwyn Hayes pattern. I love the coffee cup pattern. The redwork patterns will go well with my redwork alphabet blocks.

One of the women gave everyone a pillowcase. She also had me as a teacup swap partner so I got two. Aren't they gorgeous?


Another women gave us teddy bear panels with coordinating strips to make a wallhanging. These will look good in my kitchen.

Here are the books I brought home. I won the Quilts, Quilts, Quilts book. The other books I bought. Triangles on a Roll was only $5. It's full of designs for using TOARs. I'm excited to try some of them. The Empty Nesters Cookbook is just what I've been looking for since DS moved out. It's hard to cook for two. And I couldn't turn down the Coffee Cafe book. It's chock full of coffee history and recipes.

The next two pictures show the fabric I received. There's an assortment of FQs, nickel squares, 6 inch squares and some scraps. The multi-colored item in the bottom left is a bookmark. It has coins in it to act as weights to hold the book open. The sports fabric will make a great wall hanging or baby quilt.


And, last, but no least, here are the rest of the goodies: two coffee cups, a magnetic pin dish, chimes, a note holder, pin cushion, glass wrap, small journal, sticky notes, a Canada pencil, a paperweight, a quilter's pin and a Dunkin Donuts gift card.


To say I am overwhelmed at the generosity of quilters is an understatement. I would never have imagined I would receive all these wonderful gifts.

Tomorrow I will share photos and stories of what we did.

I'm Off For the Weekend

I'm off tomorrow for our Quilt Pocket Jamboree in Southbury, CT. Four days with 17 quilters, including two from Australia. I'm lucky that I can drive there in my car Caliber instead of flying. A lot less hassle for me. DH is off to Dubai tomorrow so our house will be nice and quiet.

I'll be back on Monday with lots of tales and lots of pictures, I'm sure.

Have a great weekend and I hope you find plenty of time for quilting and playing.

Cutting, Cutting and More Cutting

I've spent my quilting time this weekend cutting fabric. I have depleted my stash by nearly 12 yards of fabric. I've cut:
* 60 - 8x8 inch squares for a swap using up 3 yards of fabric
* 50 – 2.5 inch strips that were cut into half strips for another swap using up 3.5 yards of fabric
* 270 nickel squares for gifts at the quilt gathering I’m going to next weekend using up 5.25 yards of fabric

This morning I cut all the pieces I need for my 365 Challenge quilt.

My studio is in a little bit of disarray as I am getting ready to spend next weekend with 17 members of one of my on-line groups. I have some gifts to wrap. Swaps to get in the mail. Projects to pack to bring along next week. I am so ready for a few days off. I've spent more hours working lately than I care to remember or admit to.

Yesterday was a beautiful day here in New England. DH and I walked around downtown Dover and ate lunch on the deck of one of the restaurants. We poked around in a couple of the shops that carry antique furniture and found these wood double folding chairs. How cool! We bought two of them. We are going to paint one of them in Red Sox red and the other in New England Patriots blue. We may try to find decals to put on them too. They are cool. I can't wait to refinish them. They will be a neat addition to the sports room we'll have some day soon.

Going To Oregon

We have planned our vacation this summer and we are going to Oregon again. We loved Oregon so much when we there in 2005 that we decided to go back and explore another part of the state.

We fly into Portland on Monday, August 6 and are driving to Skamania Lodge for evening of indulgence - a massage, dinner and a night of rest. On Tuesday we are headed to Sunriver Resort in Bend. DH won a four day, three night vacation package that includes a round of golf, a couple spa treatments and a canoe float. Of course, a day trip to Sisters for me is included too.

On Friday we are headed back to Portland to stay at the Marriott Waterfront until we leave on Tuesday morning. I think we will check out Bite of Oregon that is happening that weekend.

Anyone want to hang out with me for a couple hours while I'm there? DH is very understanding when it comes to meeting my on-line quilt friends.

The 365 Challenge

Are you joining in Leanne's 365 Challenge? It seems many of us are going to be journaling our way through a quilt over the next year. A Yahoo group has been formed for people working on the Challenge. Feel free to join us. Just click on the link in my sidebar.

I purchased my fabrics yesterday with a gift cheque from my boss. Ignore the wrinkles in the photo. I've washed the fabric, but haven't ironed it yet. I may also use fabric leftover from DH's Egyptian cotton dress shirts. That would be a nice touch, don't you think? I know I have a Bust Stash button on my side bar, but I don't have any neutrals in my stash so I had to buy the fabric. It won't even make it into my stash!



I bought Pigma pens the other day for another project and I finally found Reynolds freezer paper at my local butcher shop. A shop I'm in at least once a week and never thought to look for the paper in it!

Tonight I'm enjoying the company of DS and DIL. Tomorrow night I will probably cut fabric while watching the first Red Sox - Yankees game of the baseball season. DH will be home from Shanghai sometime around midnight. Saturday he will probably spend the day catching up on sleep while I get ready for my quilt gathering next weekend.

Coming Up For Air and Thinking Blogger Award

I had one long, mentally exhausting week this past week. 60 hours in 6 days! When I came home from work yesterday I nearly passed out on the couch waiting for DH to get home. I could hardly stay awake until 9 PM! That was tough because DH left this morning at 4 AM to fly to Shanghai. His first flight was from Boston to Chicago, then Chicago to Shanghai. The second flight is 15 hours! As I write this he is still in the air and has nearly 8 hours of flight time left!

So this morning I spent 4 hours working in my studio! I made myself this tote bag for carrying my redwork. The coffee cup was my first redwork piece. The coffee themed fabric has been hanging out in my stash waiting for the right project to come along and this is the perfect use for it.





I also made 6 coasters and cut some strips for a strip swap I'm in. After lunch and a nap I tried sewing the binding on some small gifts I'm making. After messing up two bindings I said enough was enough and stopped sewing for the day. The last couple hours I've been babysitting my 3 year old nephew and 8 month old niece. I offered to watch them so my BIL and SIL could have an "adult dinner". We've spent the time watching a Nickelodean cartoon DVD and Cars.

Darlene at Quilted Daze tagged a few days ago for a Thinking Blogger Award. I've been "thinking" about who I would like to tag and I have my list nearly complete. By tonight I am too tired to finish the list so I will tag some bloggers tomorrow. Thanks Darlene for mentioning me.

One last comment for tonight - have you heard about Leanne Beasley's 365 Challenge Quilt? This is a new project she showed on her blog and it's taken off with many bloggers. Be sure to check out the 365 Challenge tutorial on her blog. I think I'm going to take on the Challenge. Looks like a fun and unique way to record a year in my life.

The children have now left and it's getting late. We're in the middle of a Nor'easter. The rain and snow have been falling all day and the wind should starting kicking up shortly. It's going to be a long night and long day tomorrow since the storm will not end until late tomorrow. TTYL.

How and Why I Started Quilting

I learned to quilt from my Irish grandmother when I was 13 years old. We used a cardboard template, probably a four-inch square to cut the fabric with fabric shears made for right handers (I'm left handed). I designed that first quilt on paper before we even bought the fabric. The quilt was made with red, yellow and blue calicoes and solid fabrics. Simple four patches in red, yellow and blue. Why these colors? Because these are the colors a baby sees first and this was a baby quilt. The patches were set diagonally, not on point, but in a diagonal line. I don't remember using batting. I do remember tying the quilt. I had hoped to find the quilt when we moved my parents out of their house last summer but didn't have any luck.

I didn't make another quilt until 2004. I was inspired by a quilt on my DH's aunt's bed. It is a postage stamp quilt made from the aprons her mother (DH's grandmother) wore to work at the brush factory in Springfield, MA. At that time I had been drawing/art lessons for two years trying to find my creative self. I wasn't finding my creativity with paint, pencils and paper. Yet, I was enthralled with that quilt. I couldn't stop thinking about it or about the quilt I made with my grandmother.

One afternoon I searched the internet for quilting classes hoping I could find close to home. Instead I found Quilt University. I signed up for the starter class and the rest is history. I have two first quilts. I made my first mystery quilt on New Year's Eve 2004. I completed the top by the end of January. It didn't get quilted and bound until August. I made it for DH using Red Sox and Patriots fabric. It was the first top I finished.



My other "first" quilt was also a mystery quilt. I consider it my other "first" quilt because I made it all in three weeks. I tied it and machine sewed the binding down. I made it between the time I made DH's quilt top and had it quilted. I made it for a co-worker who had trouble getting pregnant and was finally blessed with this adorable little girl. The snowball fabric is Winnie-The-Pooh. That quilt is now two years old and was recently promoted from the crib to the big girl bed.



I adore playing with fabric. I don't know why I waited so long to start quilting again. But, then again, if I hadn't waited I would have a much larger stash and that's OK with me.

I'm Back in Business

I was finally able to paint the repaired wall in my studio this morning. That took all of 30 minutes. Then 30 minutes of drying time and I was ready to move back in. Two hours later I was back in business!

Here's a mini tour of sewing studio. First up is the closet. In here I have a plastic cart filled with my FQs. About 8 bins with various projects in them. Packages of batting, Tasha's work basket and my pieces of fabric greater than one yard on the hangers. The top shelf of closet holds two picnic baskets of other miscellaneous projects and my Christmas fabrics.

Next up is the new cubicle stand I bought last week. The wall to the right of the stand is the one that had the water damage and has to be repaired. In the baskets are the fabrics for the projects I'm currently working on. The wood boxes on the 3rd shelf hold my thread. The cases on the bottom shelf are binders I bought from Unikeep. They are sturdy plastic binders that are flat like boxes. I bought a 20 piece sampler of the binders for $50 and I still haven't filled all of them. So far all of my lessons from my Quilt University classes and internet patterns I have printed are in the binders on the left side.

My cutting table and scrap cart fill up the rest of the wall. For now I have a bookcase under the table holding some books, but I'm not happy with that bookcase. Someday I will find a better bookcase for all my books.

My sewing table sits between the two windows. Right now it's covered with the gifties I'm making for my retreat in 3 weeks. The table runner is made from an Ohio Star block swap I was in two years ago. The wood cabinet is from Ikea and holds the notions I need when sitting at the table: machine needles, marking pencils, snips, basting pins, rotary blades, you get the idea.

If you celebrate Easter tomorrow, have a blessed day. If you celebrate Passover, I hope you are having a blessed holiday too.

Snow From Thursday

Just a couple of quick shots from our April snowstorm Wednesday night into Thursday morning. The first one was taken in the parking lot where we park our car. The second on is our new Caliber covered with it's first snowfall. The snow is nearly gone again. I think spring is coming soon.

Happy Blogiversary to Me!

I remembered I had started my blog in April of last year, but it wasn't until I just checked, that it was one year ago today I started my blog. I've met some wonderful quilters and seen many terrific projects. I never knew bloggin would be so much fun! Happy Anniversary to me!

The maintenance man was here on Friday. He checked the walls in my studio and there is no mold. He removed the peeled and bubbled paint, replaced some of the tape and put the first layer of mud on the walls. He will come back tomorrow to add one more coat of mud. Then we can sand the wall and paint it. By next weekend my studio should be back together! Since the closet won't be torn down, I was able to work on putting stuff back in the closet. Previously I had been using two old nightstands/bookcases in my closet. I decided I didn't like that set up anymore so yesterday I went to Target and bought this cubicle to use instead. I also bought three fabric drawers to fit into some of the cubicles.

It took DH and I about an hour to put it together. It was a little small for the closet so I decided to leave out and to put my plastic bin of FQs in the closet, along with my tubs of UFOs, batting and some old shirts that are going to become quilts some day. I hung up the few pieces of yardage I have that are bigger than one yard. I can't fill the cubicles until we are able to put all the furniture back but I have put a couple UFOs in one of the baskets.

For the first time in several weeks I was able to sew with my machine. I started working on the quilt gifts I'm bringing to my quilty friends when we have our Jamboree later this month. I was able to spend 3 1/2 hours working on my gifts.

In other news - DH and I went car shopping yesterday. My 1999 Grand Am is almost dead, although it has been a very, very good car. We knew we wanted a crossover vehicle. Not a big SUV, not a station wagon, not a sedan. We decided on a Dodge Caliber. We are getting the red one pictured on the site. Tomorrow afternoon we will be able to pick it up. This is the first car DH has bought brand new. The pick up truck he had in college was bought by his parents and he drove that until it died. The last 8 years we've been driving my car. I've had two other brand new cars. He is like a child at Christmas. Buying a car for me is no big deal, but for him it's been a lot of fun.

Given the water problems in my studio I was able to make progress on my March goals. I've been diligently working on my redwork alphabet and I started my retreat gifts. I couldn't work on Football Depression blocks or mark my Birthday Garden quilt. But this month I'll be working on my Birthday Garden quilt as one of the women coming to the retreat only does hand piecing and hand quilting and she has agreed to help me get started on the hand quilting of my birthday quilt.

Let's see what else? Oh yeah, in March I spent 31 hours working on quilting projects and spent $153 on books, templates, fabric for my redwork quilt, Saral paper for tracing and some miscellaneous tools for redwork. I think I need to sell or donate some of quilt books, I already have too many.

But the best news of all is Baseball Season is here! I really hate the weeks between the Super Bowl and Opening Day. I am not a March Madness fan. I like gold, but it doesn't get the coverage that other sports do. And I can't stand hockey. So for the several weeks between football and baseball I don't get a good sports fix. I'm watching the Mets play the Cardinals right now, but tomorrow I can't wait for the Red Sox to play Kansas City tomorrow!

Some Quick Answers

Just a short post to answer some questions from recent entries.

The Yahoo group I joined is RedworkStitchers. Here is a link to the home page. I like the group so far and have already signed up for a needle case swap.

The redwork BOM is from Bobby Socks. I am really enjoying this BOM. Since DH isn't traveling for a couple weeks he is driving us to work which gives me another 30 minutes a day to do redwork.

There is no update on my sewing room repairs. I believe the plumber was here about 10 days ago. But no one has come to fix the walls. I called the landlord last week and got no response. I think it's time for DH to call. I am really tired of a mixed-up sewing room.

I think that's all for now. It's time for me to climb under the covers.

B is for Bubble Bath

I had a great time with Victoria. I didn't cut scraps like I had planned. A combination of a back ache, a migraine and no desire to pick up a rotary cutter kept my scraps scrappy. However, I did finish my "B is for Bubble Bath" redwork block. This block went much quicker than the first block. I have started my "C is for Chair" block.

I made a few purchases this weekend. At Joanne's I found Saral transfer paper. One of the members in my redwork group suggested using it for tracing patterns. I wasn't looking for it but it caught my eye while we were wandering the aisles. I'm going to try it for marking my Birthday Garden quilt and also a needle case I'm making for a swap.

At the LQS I bought a 3 inch embroidery hoop for doing redwork, a bottle of Synthrapol, a Clover needle dome and one yard of Gummi Bear fabric. DH loves Gummi Bears and the fabric was too cute to pass up. I'm thinking of making some napkins or placemats out of the fabric.

The Quilter's Anonymous Dinner was fun. 12 quilters showed up and 10 of them worked on projects with their sewing machines. I worked on my redwork and one worked on the applique on a Baltimore Album block. Cindy, the owner, made a wonderful dinner with a green salad, succotash, fresh bread, shrimp and pasta, and for dessert she served pecan pie cake with vanilla ice cream. Yummy!

I learned something about myself while at the dinner. When I am sewing or quilting with a group of women I'm much more comfortable doing hand work than sewing at my machine. When I am machine piecing I become very focused almost to the point of tuning out what is going on around me. I would not be good company if machine sewing in a group of women. On the other hand, I am extremely social when I'm doing hand work. I can multi task better while doing redwork or sewing down a binding or hand quilting. Is anyone else like this? How do you handle yourself when you are on a retreat?

Friday Morning Odds and Ends

I have the day off today and in a couple hours I'll be heading out to spend the day and night with a quilting friend. I'm so excited! I haven't had a true day off in a few months. It's amazing how therapeutic it is to have just one day off here and there.

I recently joined a Yahoo Redwork group. The list mom posted an email this morning about Leanne Beasley. She has been speaking with her about getting her patterns sold in the United States. I'm so psyched. I love her patterns and would be first in line to purchase a pattern or two or three of hers. Her email also included a link to Leanne's blog. What a cool blog she has. Another blog added to my list.

Kay, who is married to Farmer Rick, shares her life on a Nebraska farm. She recently shared this blogthing. My B+ personality is on the mark for me.

You Have A Type B+ Personality

You're a pro at going with the flow You love to kick back and take in everything life has to offer A total joy to be around, people crave your stability. While you're totally laid back, you can have bouts of hyperactivity. Get into a project you love, and you won't stop until it's done You're passionate - just selective about your passions

Do You Have a Type A Personality?

The clock on the wall is telling me it's time to get moving. I'll be back tomorrow with pictures of our quilting adventure today.

Scrap Cutting - Part 1

I started cutting my scraps tonight. I've decided to use the braid, diamond and half hexagon templates I got with my Charm Quilts book last week. I started with the scraps leftover from a quilt I made last year. This is what those scraps yielded. Not a bad start and it only took me 45 minutes to get that much done.

I pulled out the scrap drawer from my charm cabinet. Here's what the drawer looks like right now. I don't know if I'll work on those tomorrow or wait for my cutting party with Victoria this weekend.

I don't have as many scraps as I thought. I guess that's because when I first started cutting I was cutting my scraps into charm squares of various sizes. Somewhere along the line I changed my methods. First I stopped buying fabric just to buy it. Then I've been using my charm squares and FQs for most of the projects I've been working on lately. I may cut some 5 inch strips from some of my yardage for cutting . . . wait . . . I just got a semi-brilliant idea . . . I have a package of Hoffman Christmas fabric I bought at Keepsake Quilting. I've used a couple pieces of it. But I think the remaining pieces are half-yard pieces. Wouldn't it be cool to have some Christmas charm wall hangings. I could get a start on Christmas. I like it . . . I'm off to find that fabric!!

PS - I have figured out that the best way to cut charms using templates is to use a rotating cutting mat. I suppose some of already knew that. But, oh well, it was a revelation to me. I'm off . . .

Redwork and Reading

I finished my first redwork block today, "A is for Angel." I'm making the redwork alphabet from Bobby Socks. I think she looks very cute. I started to trace the "B" block but decided I don't like tracing. Instead I went to the LQS because she carries freezer paper and I thought I would try printing the design onto the fabric. I've never used freezer paper and wasn't sure it would work. But I'm excited to report that it works wonderfully. I printed off the "B" block onto the muslin and have been happily stitching away this afternoon.

While at the LQS I decided I should find some background fabric for these alphabet blocks. I found these three fabrics for a start. Aren't those Gerber baby faces adorable? I think they will add a whimsical touch to the blocks. I want to frame each block as I finish stitching them that way when I complete all of them all I have to do is sew the blocks together. Or, if I decide along the way, I could sew the blocks together and quilt the quilt using the quilt-as-you-go method.



Paula wrote about the books she is reading lately. She reminded me that I have received nearly all of the books from my E-Bay buying binge two weeks ago and I haven't shared them with you yet. I've flipped through the books but haven't taken the time to read all of them yet.

First up is a collection of older books (1987-1993): Animas Quilts by Jackie Robinson; One-of-a-Kind Quilts by Judy Hopkins; and two books by Mimi Dietrich - Handmade Quilts and the first edition of Happy Endings. (I also have the revised edition of that book). You can tell these books are nearly 20 years old. There are very few color pictures and lots of text.

Then there is Play Quilts for Children by Kristin Kolstad Addison. It will probably be some time before I make any quilts from this book, but it is good eye candy.

The last book I've received it Charm Quilts Or too much fun with a stack of squares and one template by Beth Donaldson. I tried to find a link to the book, but had no luck. The seller sent four templates with the book: a Kite, a Diamond, a Braid and a Half Hexagon. I'm spending Friday and Saturday with a friend and we are going to start cutting our scraps using the templates. I'm trying to find a Tumbler and a Pyramid template too. The book has directions for a quilt made with each of these templates. I know, I know, I need another project like I need a hole in my head!

I'm waiting for one more book to arrive: Great Little Quilts by Eleanor Levie. Finn has talked a lot about this book and I couldn't resist buying it.

I have two books left on my quilt book wish list: Red & White: American Redowrk Quilts & Patterns by Deborah Harding and Publish Your Patterns! How to Write, Print and Market Your Designs by Nancy Restuccia.

What quilt books have you been reading? What quilt books do you have on your Wish List? Tell us about them.

Happy Birthday Dema!

Today is my Irish grandmother's birthday. If she were still alive she would be 104. One of my nieces couldn't say grandma when she was learning to talk and started calling her Dema. Soon everyone was calling her Dema and the name stuck.

Dema was born on March 17 in Tomah, WI to Wilson and Isola Hilliker. Her father was a laborer. I don't know what her mother did. She married her first husband, Paul Bishop, on August 24, 1926. Paul was an embalmer and Dema was a foreman in a toy factory. According to the five paragraph newspaper article about the wedding Dema was a member of the Ladysmith Ladies Legion Auxialliary Drill Team. She was on her way to a Drill team competition on her honeymoon. I love the last 2 sentences of the article. The paragraph lists all the names of the women of the Drill Team who were also on their way to the competition. The sentences read, "The ladies in this party were leaving this afternoon and several stragglers this afternoon for La Crosse (WI) where they were anticipating a wonderfully good time. All traveled in autos." I suppose in 1926 it was worth noting whether someone traveled by auto or by horse!

At some point Dema and Paul moved to Minneapolis where Paul started a towing business. He used to work at the car races during the Minnesota State Fair. My mom has memories of riding in the tow trucks when she was a young girl. Dema also used to spend time with Dillenger and members of his crime gang, but she never broke the law. She also rode a Harley motorcycle although we don't have any pictures of those adventures. I know she also worked at Dayton's, a retail store in downtown Minneapolis. By the time I was born she had retired.

My grandfather died before I was born and Dema lived with us until I was 5 when she married the widower across the street. I got to be the flower girl in their wedding. Grandpa Harry died 16 years later and Dema lived another 14 years.

Dema was the one who taught me to sew, crochet, do bead work, needlepoint and cook. I have many memories of going over to house to make something. I used to stay at her house on Friday nights and got to eat a bowl of cereal before I went to bed. She used to put paper towels over the skinny vertical window of the living room door so I wouldn't get scared when I slept on the sofa bed.

I hope I will as great of a grandma as she was when I have more grandchildren. My only grandchild lives too far away for me to have him over on Friday nights. :(

Happy Birthday Dema!

Winter is Back

We are in the middle of a snow storm! Woohoo!!! I am snow bunny. I love the snow. I need the snow. And we haven't had enough snow here in New Hampshire. We are 30 inches behind our average snowfall. No wonder I've been so cranky lately! I told you I need snow. So forgive me while I do a happy dance around my living room. Then I'm going to snuggle under a warm quilt with some of new quilt books and a cup of hot chocolate and watch the beautiful falling snow.

DH was supposed to fly home from Dallas today. He couldn't even get out of Dallas because of the snow. So tomorrow I have to drive to Logan to pick him up and then he is leaving again on Sunday for the week. Not much quilting time tomorrow, but plenty of Sunday.

I received this lovely postcard from Linda. She belongs to one of my on-line groups. She does great work. Stop by her blog and say hi.

Spring Is Here

Spring is here! The temp has risen to above freezing and I was able to be outside without a heavy coat! I'm still a little disappointed at the lack of snow this winter, but it is what it is.

DH made it home from Germany on Thursday. But we learned that another international trip is in the works. We already knew he is going to Shanghai from April 15 - 20. He will also be going to Dubai April 26 - May 1. Lots and lots of travel for him. Lots and lots of frequent flyer miles and hotel points for our vacations.

I did get one quilty project done this week. I made this mini quilter's wallet for Evelyn. It's on its way to her. So Evelyn if you're reading this entry you know what you are getting.



DH took me to a hotel for the night and then we went shopping today. We don't go shopping very often, but when we do it's always fun. Today he bought me a new sweater and dressy t-shirts. We went into a kitchen store and found Maker's Mark Bourbon Flavored Gourmet Sauce. I am not a Maker's Mark drinker, but a London broil marinated in this sauce is incredible. He also had to buy a new iPod because he left his in Berlin and the hotel there can't find it. Mmmmm . . . sounds like a case of sticky fingers to me.

We also made reservations for our anniversary weekend in July. The hotel we stayed at is at the minor league ball park in Manchester, NH. No kidding. Here are pictures of the hotel. On our anniversary weekend the New Hampshire Fisher Cats are playing the Portland Sea Dogs. The Sea Dogs are one of the Red Sox minor league teams. We can watch the game from our room, sit at the restaurant deck or pay a few dollars for tickets to sit in the stadium. I'm excited and I still have to wait four months.

That's all the news for now. Thanks to everyone who stops by and leaves comments. I may not reply to all the comments, but I do appreciate every comment.

Giveaway Update and Inspiration Project

My UFO has found a new home. Tomorrow it will wing its way to Virginia. Thanks to those who offered to take it.

Kay asked if I would share the pattern for my Inspiration Project. I'd be happy to share it, but I need to write the directions. If you're interested in getting the instructions, let me know.

Not much quilty activity so far this week. I did spend 15 minutes cutting more HSTs for my Depression, but that's it.

It's been waaaaaay cold here today. The windchills have been way below 0. The winds have been strong all day and will stay strong through tonight. They say it is the coldest day of the year and I believe it.

Second Quarter, Half Time And a Giveaway

I had a great night's sleep last night and woke up this morning feeling refreshed. My back pain has nearly subsided and I'm feeling fairly normal. Yeah!

After having my coffee and reading the Sunday paper I went to work on my Football Depression quilt. I was able to finished the Second Quarter.


And then came Half Time.



I didn't feel like trimming more HSTs so I decided to try some machine quilting on a table runner. I sewed two lines and realized I wasn't quilting in the ditch, instead I was doing a quarter inch along the seams. I was disappointed and didn't want to rip it out so I decided it was time to take a break from the sewing room.

I missed DH's phone call from Germany while taking a nap. I don't have international calling on my cell phone and couldn't call him back. :( He thinks he fried his laptop plugging it in at the hotel. Yesterday the laptop worked fine in Frankfurt, but something happened at the hotel in Berlin. So I can't even exchange e-mails with him. I'm having DH withdrawals. I can't wait to get to the office tomorrow so I can call him. Note to self - get international calling before he goes to China in April.

I'm still having problems focusing on a project for any length of time. This afternoon I pulled some pink charms and started sewing them together. That project lasted about 45 minutes before I grew tired of sewing pink fabric. Then I decided to poke through my other UFO tubs. In 2005 I was going to make Down Home Quilting's BOM for 2005. That lasted about 3 months. I have many four patches, HSTs and a variety of cut squares. Anyway I don't think I'm ever to make the quilt. I'm not totally in love with the fabrics anymore. So, if anyone is interested in taking what is there and making a quilt or two out of what's there, please contact me. I'll gladly package it up and send it to you.



It's tough having my studio still torn apart. I don't know when the landlord is going to get it fixed. I need to call him tomorrow and get the scoop. I think part of the reason I can't focus on quilting is because of the disarray of my studio. I can't get it fixed fast enough!