Let me bore you, I mean SHOW you, some vacation photos!

What a week. Who would ever know I would be working every Tuesday with my very own guardian angel! From here on I will probably be driving Susan crazy, but that's just the way it will have to be. Again, I am so grateful to her. And grateful to all of you for the kind comments and emails. You guys ROCK!!!!

Some changes ahead for me. I have decided to drop a day at work. Now I will work Monday and Tuesdays. Ok, not a big deal, well for me it is a big deal. I have worked Wednesdays for the last 16 years and there is a group that comes in the morning that I have known for about the amount of time. I will just have to make a point to stop in occasionally and visit. The extra day is good. The baby will be here soon and John is retiring in October, so who knows what lays ahead.

Coming home from vacation my little binding business had a record couple weeks - 23 quilts to be exact. Here they are on top of my work table, under my work table. It's time for me to buckle down and get to business .......here's a helper I have here with me, my grand doggy is visiting for a few days and she seems to think binding is something she can help with. Not so much! Her wiggly, giggly toy is just the distraction she needs.

On to some vacation photos - blogger has not been so cooperative with posting today, so I will see how far I can get. Where to start - there are so many!! This is the Korean War Monument.....and at night a wall that during the day you barely see these images. In fact when I took this picture they really didn't show up much, but once on the computer WOW. This is such a striking picture.

The World War II Monument...love this picture of John and my brother in law Russ taking a look. What a tribute .

The National Museum of the American Indian.....so thought provoking for me.

The building is so huge - and there was no way to capture the beauty of the building and it's amazing architecture. The museum tells the story of the American Indian from the perspective of all the tribes......much to think about, lots of different information than I ever learned in school. I am so disappointed that this picture turned out blurry - those are thimbles hanging at the ends of the leather pieces. Can you imagine the wonderful sounds they made, and my thoughts went to the woman that wore this beautiful garment. A creative woman, sister, that had a passion for cloth and handwork just like all of us!! What a great community of artisans we all belong to.

In a McFlurry??!!! :-) I don't know why this picture won't enlarge, but that's what it says on the hood. Had to have a picture of this...too cute. I will have to save more vacation photos for another day. Blogger and me just aren't getting along and I don't want to loose the post I have. Hope that your week gets off to a great start and that all of you have your guardian angles hanging around. Take it from me, you never know when you might need them. See you later alligators! ............now lead me to the bindings!!!

Grattitude...........

.........ever since I saw the snowball bush on pamkitty'sblog I have been thinking about trying to grow one of my own. Then when we went to Virginia, there they were everywhere taunting me, so I had to share this picture with all of you. If you click on the picture to enlarge it you will really see it's beauty. It was taken at Monticello, once the home of Thomas Jefferson. Such a pretty bush!!

My plan this evening was to post my zillions of pictures, but today life had a twist. Tuesdays I work with Susan at the shop. In the morning we have the sweetest group of ladies that come every week and there is always lots of laughter, lots of gabbing, and tons of creativeness going on. Susan and I have
a fun teasing thing going on between us, which spills over on to everyone else I'm afraid, even the unsuspecting customers that come in!! Laughter is definitely the rule for the day. The afternoon is also a drop in class and during both times Susan is at the ready to help with any and all quilting related issues. She amazes me....I tell her this all the time...because even after I have been quilting all these years I am always picking up something new from her!

After the morning class we decided to be bad and get Chinese food. Orange Chicken and rice to be exact.....yum......even though I was determined to get back on track with my eating after my grazing for two weeks while on vacation. We sat and chatted and ate our lunch, Susan finishing up early because the afternoon group had started to arrive. Class was kicking in to gear and I got up out of my chair, suddenly the bite I was chewing became lodged in my throat.Instantly I could not breathe...no air at all...instant fear and then I turned to where Susan was and she took one look at me and grabbed me from behind and did the Heimlich Maneuver which dislodged the chicken so I could breathe. I absolutely had no air coming in and the room was starting to go dark. I can't believe how calm and fast Susan reacted. It all happened so fast I don't think for a while the class really realized what had happened.

Coming home tonight I have replayed the scene over and over and am so grateful for her being there. Saying thank you just does not seem to be good enough words, but that's about all I could say to her. If I had been alone and that happened I would not have been able to help myself. Then thinking of my wonderful family and how much they all mean to me and the new little one on the way....I have so much to be grateful for in my life and so very grateful to Susan.

Since humor is the basis for our relationship, about an hour after our ordeal I answered the phone and it was a call for Susan. My response to Susan was(and please I hope I don't offend anyone), your holiness, the phone is for you!Well at the very least she is an angel to me! This evening I got a call from my girl and filled her in on the day and then had a good little cry after hearing her voice and thinking how things might not of turned out so well. Life is always full of lessons. For me, don't take for granted what I have. This evening I am feeling extremely lucky.

More pictures in a day or so!!

I'm Baaaaack and a BIG Happy Mothers Day To All You Mom's!!!

First off a very, very Happy Mothers Day to all you mom's! We got home last night around 11 p.m. and this sweet little statue was waiting for me. It says "Home is Where My Mom Is". My girl, she knows what I like! We had such a wonderful vacation and saw so many wonderful sights. I took a million zillion pictures......are you ready??? Well I won't bore you with all zillion of them, but will show a few in the next few days. We even got to visit one of the quilt shops featured in the new Quilt Sampler Magazine.
I had another surprise waiting when I got home. Hmmmmm, wonder what this could be? :-)!!! My sweet new little Polka Dot Annie from Nicole - love her! Thanks Nicole.
We are off to celebrate Mothers Day with my second mom, my mother-in-law! Hope that all of you have time spent with family with lots of hugs and kisses. I'll be back in a few days with some vacation photos. Oh and I forgot, I really, really, really missed you guys!! See you later alligators!

Almost ready to hit the road!

I am packing....don't you see me packing...really I am packing! Ok, ok so I am on the computer, but I really am thinking about packing so I really, really think that counts. Actually things are pretty much ready to go, just the last minute stuff. Check the list, make sure everything is checked off, hey where in the heck is that list anyway???

We are leaving bright and early tomorrow morning but wanted to get one last post in. I had really planned to have some quilty pictures ready to go, but that just didn't happen. I will definitely miss the blogs and peeking around here and there to see what all of you have going on, but I'll be checking back in on the 10th of May! Hope that the end of April is good for all of you and May brings lots of new quilting projects and some beautiful May posies blooming in your gardens.

Meanwhile back to packing......................yummmmm, and this is what I have waiting when I am all done. After all, a girl needs a treat for all this getting ready to leave stuff. See you later alligators!!!

PS - there is a quilt raffle going on over at OkPeri's Place for a very good cause!! Drawing will be May 9th. To read all about it and meet Perry's cutie patootie granddaughter hop on over to her blog......we all can help to make a difference :-)! Here's a sneak peek of the quilt you might be lucky enough to win.

Hmmmm, let's see...

... I am afraid I don't have much quilty stuff to report today. Next Tuesday we are leaving for an 11 day trip to Washington D.C./Virginia and I have been focusing on getting ready for that. My friend Carol had given me this Lucky Star quilt for binding, and I did get that put on. Wow, it's a beauty. The line is Spring Meadow by Moda.

Growing up, this time of year was always Spring cleaning. So no matter how I try to fight it I just have the urge to start going through the house and get things in order. Today I was rearranging and getting rid of some things in the kitchen. I came across these baskets that my grandmother had made years ago. We lived close to a big park that had a ton of pine trees. All us cousins would collect bags of pine needles, and then my grandpa would cut the wooden bases and drill the holes....then the magic would happen. My grandma would weave the needles. The long oval basket was for crackers..my dad was a nut for saltines!!! Unfortunately that one has the loose needles because it was used all the time. They are in such remarkable shape, and I am so glad to have them.

In the spirit of cleaning and reorganizing Nan has me thinking about my sewing space. She just finished a big redo of her sewing room and there are some great photos over on her blog. Scroll down a post or two to take a peek. I think when I get back from vacation that's what I will tackle. I have some wonderful polka dot fabric that has been aging in my closet for a few years, that will make wonderful curtains!

My silly lil' friend has been helping me with my camera. She has taught me to use the closeup button. When I started blogging last August I never had used the digital camera. Now I love it and I really am starting to understand what all the buttons are for, AMAZING! My silly lil' friend also has started me on a new

collection...these realllllly tiny miniatures. The cups are smaller than my pinkie nail!

Hope that everyone is having a great week, with some quilting done here and there, some time spent with family and with friends who truly are your friends and care about you!

Quilt Raffle

There is a quilt raffle going on over at OkPeri's Place. A beautiful quilt that was made by Cindy, is being raffled off to raise money to help find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. Perry's sweet granddaughter Katy, who is living with Cystic Fibrosis, will just pull at your heart strings. To read Katy's story and purchase quilt raffle chances please visit OkPeri's Place.

Life is an adventure!!

I have always said that to my kids! Yep it's an adventure and we are about to take one. Mr. Polka Dot announced this week at work that he will be retiring in October. So now a new adventure will begin for us, a new chapter. Grand baby boy will be here by then, so it will be a happy adventure with a new little one around. Now this retirement thing is a bit weird to me. I don't really know why but it is. We have planned well and lots of projects and trips to look forward to. I guess for me being mid 50ish, I just don't feel like retirement material :-), no pun intended!!!!! But after sitting on this for this week (even though we knew for about a year), it's starting to feel like it will be ok; better than ok...in fact pretty darn wonderful!!!

On the sewing front, let's just say haste makes waste. I have been working on my Prairie Paisley quilt fast & feverishly. Nine patches done, light rails done, dark rails done! Screeeeeech - nine patches not done right. A little ripping, well - a lot of ripping and now I am back on track. I think the retirement thing has preoccupied my thinking for a good month now. Next step will be the star points, so I have my fingers crossed that all goes well.

Today I was moving some quilts around and brought out this quilt. It's Granny's Bloomers that I made at a quilt retreat in Las Vegas a few years ago with my friend Lani. It was so much fun to make. This cute little Dick and Jane quilt that I have almost given away a bunch of times, now I am glad I held on to it.

A friend gave me this cute little pattern to make burp pads, so I just had to whip up some today.

My son is busy priming the baby's room and getting ready to paint. He and his dad put the ceiling fan up today. Only four more months - we can't wait!!!

This time of year is so nice. The flowers are all starting to bloom and put on their pretty show.....
...an orchid that belonged to my mom ..... Bring on the flowers and life's adventures! Hope this finds you all well and with some life's adventures of your own! See you later alligators.

Some quilts, a cool new notion, some this and some that!

It's Sunday already, wow hard to believe. This has been one crazy busy week. No matter how many lists I make I don't seem to be checking things off that I want to get done....I have finally decided just to live in the moment :-)!!

First off, here's a couple quilts that I managed to finish for work. This daisy quilt is so quick and easy, and doing the raw edges on the flowers makes it even faster! The sweet little ME quilt was also fast and fun, and I think the red Swell fabric goes great out on the border. What a fast charm square quilt.

Another big week for the binding business. Here's a few pictures of quilts I did for Roxanne, one of my customers. Great quilts!the picture is not very good of the one on the left. Sweet little Christmas stitcheries.

Here's a runner and quilt that belong to Jan. Good inspiration seeing all these amazing quilts.

This week I had a wonderful package waiting for me on the porch. It's from Leanne in Australia. I had sent her a copy of my Kindness Matters stitchery which she already finished. There's a great picture over on her blog. Thanks Leanne! There is a really cute T quilt in the Homespum magazine that I just have to make, and the Christmas Stitchery quilt is a must! Now mind you I haven't forgotten about my Christmas project of the month. OK, I am behind on March's and haven't started April's.......but I will, I will!!!!!

Friday was a girls day out for shopping. And shopping we did. I came across this cool new notion. I am a notion freak! This is a needle case from John James called the Pebble. John James are my favorite needles that I use for putting bindings on, and what a great idea this case is. Besides look how stinkin' cute it is.

I decided there were some items I wanted to take to Goodwill. Time to get the closets cleaned out and also things from the garage that need a good home. Loaded up the PT with goodies. While I was waiting in line I ran in to an old friend and we got to chatting. She noticed I had a wooden shelf in my car that she liked....well she also had a iron shelf that I really liked so we did a swapperoooo right there while waiting in line. How great is this?! I love it, love it, and especially the hooks at the bottom. I spent the afternoon dragging it all around the house looking for the perfect spot to put it. At this point it probably will go in the bathroom, but we'll see!

A quick report from the island where our girl is! Her trip over on the boat was really, really rough. The text I got from her was "it's like a 2 hour roller coaster ride"! Yikes, but she got there safe and sound. She has spent the first four days not feeling so well, but yesterday she reported doing much better.

What a relief! I was about to get out the supermom cape and to a flyover :-)! Just like the days I would swoop in to school to rescue her....Katie, how do you put up with me! So nice to see her smiling face and great to know she is feeling better!

Guess I have talked your ears off! Just feeling a little chatty today. Kris at Dandelion Quilts has tagged me for 7 weird or random things about myself so I am going to have to think about this for a bit......there are soooo many where do I start? Also just got off the phone with Susan who I work with on Tuesdays. She has started up her own blog, SeeSueSew, what a great name is that! I am so excited. Not only is she fun to work with she is probably one of the best teachers I have been around. She will be teaching at Road To California next January. Please hop on over and give her a bloggy welcome!!!!!

Hope your week gets off to a great start and that you get some stitching done here and there!! Later alligators.

Pssssssssssssssst.....do you want to know a secret?

OK......are you ready?? Hold on to your socks!! You won't believe what we got

at work today and I got to bring some home.

Ok, here goes.......I know you are gonna want some :-)!! Charms, jelly rolls, cake layers, oh my!!!! Isn't Christmas Jolly??? Thank you Mary Engelbreit...we looooooooooove this fabric!!

Here's a closeup of the fabs ----ohhhhhh, ahhhh, love the polka dots in there! We have a new pattern at the shop (in the background) called Jelly Charm Cabin and that's what I am going to make the quilt out of!! Fabric on the bolt to follow in May.

I just had to share!! That's all I could think about all day. I have planned a million projects already. Can you tell I have lost my mind!!! Had to share with my blogging buds :-)!

Opps, almost forgot. Speaking of ME, look at this cute purse my friend Carol made for me. Perfect for my thimble case, thread and scissors. Thanks Carol....love it!

Home Sweet Home

Back from a wonderful vacation in Morro Bay, and as Pamkitty calls it vacation in the can!!! Some can.......Ok, have to admit that isn't our can, that belongs to our friends Jack and Yolanda, that was our dinning car!! Here's our can...be it ever so humble, but we love it!!!

One thing I realized on this vacation I am not a very good blogographer!!! Guess I am just too busy looking and doing. Something I need to get better at. At the end of the month we are going to Washington DC and I definitely need to step up my picture taking! So here's a few photos .

One of our favorite hiking spots is Montano deOro close by to Morro Bay. There's John looking for some sea creatures!

While there aren't any photos I'll give you a brief recap of some of the highlights! Hamburgers, hiking, tacos, gabbing, smores, golfing, drinking beer at the local pub and watching UCLA loose, steak and chicken, sitting by the fire, shopping, clam chowder, playing Mexican Train, and lots and lots of RELAXING :-)!!!! I almost forgot to mention Hannah and Shelby (not very good of Hannah), the sweetest dogs ever and boy can those girls hike! They are standing by their can waiting for mom Netty!

I did get a little sewing done...got all 48 of the nine patches together for my Prairie Paisley quilt......love, love, love these fabrics! There is quite a lot of piecing to this quilt but I know I really am going to like it when it's done.

On our drive home from Morro Bay we met out girl halfway for lunch. She is heading out early tomorrow morning on a boat for a 2 week stay on the Channel Islands. She will be working on a research project for foxes that live on the Island, with other zoo keepers from around the United States. We couldn't have planned our coming home and her leaving to work out so well, we were lucky!!!

Enough blabbing for me. The rest of the laundry is calling me and tomorrow it's back to Temptation Island, aka work :-)!! Happy first week of April to all you bloggers. See you later alligators!

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