It’s Friday and we’re looking toward a weekend with 40-degree temperatures. Eric said he’s picking up the house today--- what a guy… So hopefully I’ll have quilt pictures for next week. I want to grab another snowshoe run before the snow melts. Ransom and I should definitely get some runs up the road and back.

It’s probably just from working hard throughout the day, so I come home tired, but I think I’m spending too much time in front of the TV. I need to work on that.

Work is work. I had a few phone calls from people where I used to work this week. It’s always easy to remember the good times when you’re not there everyday.

I wanted a picture so here goes.
Whenever we travel Don has always been a team player and made pit stops at quilt stores. I know Minnesota, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, and Maine all have quilt shops because I’ve been there. I’ve made purchases at each, and I’ve got memories that last. Some of my favorite purchases are pewter pins.

My favorite is the Quilter’s Angel. I got it at a quilt shop in Minnesota, the very first I ever went to. The shop has since closed as the owner was in poor health and retired and no one purchased it. I purchased Thimbleberries fabric before I ever new What Thimbleberries fabric was…






Gratitudes:
1. Friday
2. Rubber Stamps
3. The Radio

Work’s been tough this week. I haven’t been working late, but I do come home beat. We’re enjoying having Eric home. I realize that life is different when he’s home versus when he’s not.

I went down this morning before work and had my coffee in my sewing room. I really didn’t have time to sew a stitch, but it was great therapy. Anybody else would think I was crazy, but quilters do understand. Just looking at thread, playing with the needles, or folding the fabric can be a great attitude adjustment.

Here are fabric pieces from a friend. I’m going to add them to something and I’ll always remember where they come from.

You’ve got to remember there’s no quilt shop in our town so I always pick up the Quilt Sampler when it comes out.
I tell Don about the towns these quilt shops are in. We plan how we’re going to have an old Victorian house with a winding drive way lined with Maple trees. He’ll repair something like ---lawnmowers and I’ll work 2 days a week at a variety store. We’ll have all the money in the world to pay the bills and live happily ever after--- in the same town as the quilt store. Then we just laugh. It’s fun to pretend.

It’s Pizza Night at our house……no cooking.

Gratitudes:
1. My Sister-in-Law
2. Vanilla Crème in my Coffee
3. Finding My checkbook—it was in my purse the entire time…..

The sun was rising as I made my way into work this morning. However it was 13 below Zero. Having Kenny Chesney’s Be As You Are CD in the player made it seem not quite as cold. And it will warm up through out the day… throughout the month…..

I cut out my primitive garden block pieces after supper and then hit the elliptical machine for 3 miles. It was too cold with the wind whipping for the snow shoes. Maybe tomorrow.

A CD in the player, quilt blocks, miles behind a workout---they’re all pieces of a good mood.

Here’s March’s kitchen table.
Last year Chelsey and I went shopping for on birthday and found these napkin rings. She laughed when I found plaid napkins that would work. I made the runner for the table.

I laughed. I wanted Eric for something so I went downstairs looking for him last night. There he was wrapped up in a flannel quilt on a beanbag chair playing video games. He tugged at the quilt and said, “Man, I love this thing…” Yeah, he’s my kid…..

Gratitudes:
1. My watch for keeping track of the time until I get home.
2. My kids

The weekend is over, well almost. We call it ‘Graveyard Blues’---the feeling you get when you’re about to go back to work and you’re just not ready to. It comes from years of Don working shift work and working the ‘Graveyard Shift’ 10:00 pm to 6:00am. I’m really glad he works straight day shift now.

Eric’s home for Spring break, an entire week. The weather cooperated and he had a safe trip. I played with one of my Christmas gifts for the first time this weekend--- My snow shoes.
I really wanted them, but until this week we hadn’t had enough snow to even use them. So Sunday, I decided … this is it Ransom and I are going Snow Shoeing. It was then that I realized… how much fun can this be alone? Don hates the cold, and made no bones about it… I was on my own for this. But he helped fit them for me. I brought my cell phone because reality was catching up to me… and I finally told him out loud… ”What if I get lost?” He kind of grinned and said…”Just take your tracks in reverse...” I wasn’t giving up and so Ransom and I took off behind the house. I had so much fun. I wished I had brought my camera. It’s totally amazing to see the drifts of snow with no foot prints. I can’t wait until tomorrow…. And Don even called me about 10 minutes out.

I changed all the bulletin boards in my Sunday school class. We had 10 kids this week. It was the story of Baby Moses. Four year olds love that story.

On the quilting front I completed one block of my Primitive Garden and now I’m onto the next block—A Pot of Geraniums.
I went down to my sewing room, but opted to come back up and sew by the sunny window instead.

I had a three day weekend complete with a nap every day—yes—I’m bragging. I hope this week is even half as great as the weekend was.

Gratitudes:
1. Sunny days with snowy backgrounds.
2. Chicken Alfredo—definitely.
3. three day weekends

It’s Friday morning—and I’m home. I’ve taken the day off. I’m going to knock out the grocery run and housework, so that everyone gets a full weekend. Don’t feel that it’s a bad way to spend a day off. I always say, “I’d make a great housewife; I just want the paycheck too.” Trust me--House wives earn their keep ---several thousand $$ over. I love taking care of the house and being at home—and I never turn the TV on.

I have friends at work that ask—what are you doing this weekend? My pretty standard answer is take care of the house and be at home. Again – that’s what I like doing. With the exception of maybe dinner out and a shopping trip now and then, I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be. I’m not the “party animal” type. Family, quilting, gardening, biking, maybe reading a book. That’s me.

A few weeks ago we had trouble. My sewing machine went on the “fritz”. I didn’t panic. I did the usual—change the thread, give it a break, clean it. It still was acting up. It’s time to call in the hired guns—Don.
With all the patience in the world, he moved the machine to the kitchen counter and took it apart and got her back together with out a hitch. And no Valium was required on my part. I completely trust him with it. He knows how important it is to me.

We talked while he worked. We both agreed that we have things “we can’t live without”. The sewing machine is mine, and his treadmill is his. Yeah, he’s a guy that cable TV is not his top priority--- it’s close--- but the treadmill wins.

The sewing machine has been working like a charm ever since. Word of advice: Don’t use a can of air on your sewing machine unless you really know what you are doing….

He laughed and said his only complaint is that I drank a whole pot of coffee while he worked on it--- I smiled… and made him another pot.

Gratitudes:
1. The furnace purring.
2. 3 day weekend for me.
3. Socks

We’re buried. It started Saturday night, and it’s still snowing.
Schools are closed today, but I still have the infamous ‘Parent –Teacher’ Conferences this afternoon. Chelsey and I had “the talk”, so she’s assured me there will be no surprises…. Stay tuned…

I didn’t get off early Friday --- but I did manage to get most of the housework done before everyone made it home. We started a small remodeling project. Our kids/Guest bathroom needs an update from 1990. The wallpaper was the first thing to go. We’re going for paint this time. Chelsey keeps thinking she has a vote and that vote includes purple but she’s wrong on both counts… I’ve got to commit, Don plans on painting Wednesday evening. I’ve got a rainbow of paint samples to go through.

I’m still appliquéing on my primitive garden. The sewing machine hadn’t been turned on in seven days—a rarity. I went down yesterday and made some postcards, photos to follow soon. I made spring cards—I guess I needed the snowstorm as a jolt back to reality. I’m even going to steal fifteen minutes and sew a couple of seams in a second before work.

Most people would be ecstatic about remodeling a room—new mirrors, cabinet, light fixtures. We even went looking for a new television cabinet for the living room this weekend. I’m so weary to change—what is that? I’m really trying to get motivated, but I struggle….

Gratitudes:
1. Everyone’s safety in the snowstorm.
2. Weekend rest
3. Cinnamon

I haven’t done much quilting this week. I worked on my Sunday school lesson, the general day in –day out stuff at home. The weather got up to 50 degrees one day. Ransom and I took a walk without a coat- Defiance I call it. They’re predicting snow this weekend, but the break in the weather was nice.

Hopefully, I’ll get to leave work a little early today and I can knock out the housework where we’ll all get another free weekend. That way I’ll have quilt pictures to post.

What do I do when cabin fever sets in? Some people really get it bad this time of year because the winters are long. It’s a mind over matter thing for me. It’s something I talk myself through. And I change the dishes and the quilts.
Here are the dishes that will get me through March and April. Blueberry dishes. I’m rushing spring but I’m tired of snowmen. They were gifts from Don one Christmas. These are the best mugs for soup. I definitely need to work on spring quilts.

Eric’s got one week until spring break. My folks are doing well.

It’s funny how the Good Lord always gives you just what you need. My bible readings this week dealt with complaining. When Moses lead the Israelites out of slavery to their “Promised Land”, they complained. They were tired. Things weren’t easy. They were hungry. Many times they lost focus on their purpose. I think I needed that—at least I’ve spent the week thinking before complaining and then choosing not to.

Gratitudes:
1. Longer days- the sun is beginning to rise as I go to work.
2. Recognizing my limits
3. Bubble bath

I guess one of the realities of keep a journal is realizing when it’s time to print a retraction. I had sworn of block of the month programs because I always claimed my attention span wasn’t there. I was definitely opposed to mystery quilts for myself because I’m: a. not a risk taker and b. have limited quilting time to gamble on not having a project that I love.

Cancel all of the above. I took the plunge and signed up for a Lisa Bongean block of the month program. I studied it for five weeks before deciding to commit.
Maybe it’s because I’ve got spring fever incredibly bad, but I love the flowers. The project doesn’t even have a completed photo of the entire quilt. She’s kind of taking it a month at a time. I’ve done three of her quilts and loved each one of them. I chose the cotton version though she offered it in wool also. This is the January block. I’m hand appliquéing it. The February block is geraniums in a black pot. Everything is small and portable. It’s sits in a basket on the coffee table. I had a girlfriend laugh at me and ask how do you leave sewing junk on a coffee table and turn it into a decoration?!?!? My answer-- - sometimes… it just works….

On the home front, Eric came home this weekend. He told us Thursday night. It was a quick trip—Don said he just need to “recharge the batteries”. Last time he came home, groceries weren’t bought ahead of time; the house wasn’t “polished”. Don said,”Awww- he’ll never notice.” Eric’s response, “ Wow, yall really didn’t clean house for me.” So, after work on Friday the three of us plowed into the house so I had a totally free weekend. It was definitely worth it. Ransom, I think, got the most “quality time” with Eric and vice versa he gave 110% back to Eric. He combed the house looking for him on Sunday afternoon. He has spring break in a couple of weeks.

Gratitudes:
1. Warmer temps (20’s and 30’s) on the horizon.
2. Twelve kids in Sunday School
3. Needles and Thread

This week marks the longest time Eric been away from home. I’m about ready for a visit. He doesn’t call as often. Don says it’s because he has a life. He talks to his sister. But for the chatterbox she is…for some reason she keeps her brother’s secrets.

When Chelsey and I go on our shopping conquests—We do pretty well at taking turns, Her clothes, my clothes, stuff for the house, a quilt shop, and a scrapbooking store. While she tackles the scrapbooking shop I entertain myself pretty good. I usually walk out with 5 or 6 sheets of plaid paper—what else would a quilter purchase. I’ve also purchased rubber stamps—stuff to use with my Sunday school kids.

Eric is my kid that always ask those profound questions, “So, you’re into this…Why?” He’s made me rationalize various treasures in my life---keys, quilts, dishes, barns, rusty stuff (he calls it).

Last time we hit Chelsey’s Scrapbook Shop I purchased the Rocking Chair Stamp.
It’s not something that I can exactly use with My SS kids. I must have picked it up 3 or 4 times before I committed. They even had a stamp that was a rocking chair with a quilt draped over it, but it was the lone rocking chair that kept talking to me. I have two rocking chairs in my house. Don bought both of them for me when I was pregnant with Eric. We lived in a cracker box house and his logic was we needed one upstairs and downstairs. Even though we have changed houses and we’ve changed furniture a few times the one constant has been those rocking chairs. One of the chairs has a built in blue cushion that now goes with a green living room. I put a blue and green pillow on it and call it “coordinated”. The front porch has 2 white rocking chairs—why two? There’s something incredibly lonely about one rocking chair alone on a porch.

I look at the stamp and laugh—why did I purchase it? Maybe it’s that in my eyes a Rocking Chair stands the test of time, never going out of style. They cradle newborn babies, hold preschoolers with the flu, and rock teenagers with the loss of first loves. That chair will hopefully comfort through life’s changes and totter an old woman through quilt stitches for a long time….

I stole some of Chelsey’s scrapbook paper and made cards to write my Mom. I can’t wait till we hit the store again---- I remember a wheelbarrow stamp calling my name....

It’s Valentine’s Day---Don and I exchanged cards this morning. In lieu of fresh flowers he told be to go to the florist and pick out a new silk arrangement and say it’s from him. My practical side comes through--- I’m thrilled. I went yesterday with a mug from a set of dishes and 5 fat quarters to give the florist inspiration…I’m confident it’ll be the fabric that inspires her the most. Fresh flowers are wonderful, but the arrangement will be around a lot longer.

We have a high school girl that comes in 15 hours a week and does cleaning at my office. She’s a sweet girl, kind of reminds me of a church mouse… meek and quiet. She moves the trashcan and chair out of my office for cleaning and 9 times out 10, she’ll forget to put them back when she locks my office door. Valloury will right a ¾ page letter of apology each time. I just laugh. I’m grateful she dusts and takes out the trash AND locks the door. Her birthday is tomorrow, so this weekend I dug into my fabric and found “ the coolest” fabrics for a “dorky” mom I had in my stash and made her a journal cover.
Then I went to Wal-mart and got colored pens and M & M’s.
I left it in my office last night because I didn’t figure she’d work on Valentine’s Day or her birthday.
She’s a good kid, the oldest of 4 girls—Dreams of getting her pilot’s license.

Gratitudes:
1. Valentine Cards
2. Valloury
3. Music on the Jeep Stereo

Over the weekend I completed my Mom’s “Springtime” Table runner.
I mailed it out on Monday. Odds are it won’t make it by Valentine’s Day, but at least my heart was in the right place. She can put in a Crock, or drape it over a basket. Neat lady. She’s can make something beautiful in ways I never think of.

No quilting last night. I had a meeting on Chelsey’s Spanish class field trip to Mexico. Looks like we’re pretty well set on that. I’m a little nervous, but it’s incredibly supervised, and she’ll learn tons.

It’s was –1 degree on the way to work this morning. It’s always dark on the trip. But even so, it’s funny how you pick out markers along the way. There are no streetlights until I get to the main highway. But there’s a house on the left hand side of the road--- just around a deep curve that always has an old man sitting at his kitchen table drinking his morning coffee. It’s a round kitchen table complete with a tablecloth. He’s there every morning. I drive by between 5:30 and 6:00 am. He’s up, looking at a newspaper from the day before. I count on him being there. I bet I could count on just one hand the number of times he hasn’t been in that chair, at that table. And if he’s not there—my heart jumps…and then I always exhale the next morning to find him sitting there.

Little things that make you slow down and think…

Gratitudes:
1. The family in the house on the left hand side of the road.
2. Homemade beef stew tonight for supper.
3. Lotion that softens dry hands…

We’re in the midst of a heat wave. It got up to 22 degrees yesterday. Ransom and I hit the woods. It’s amazing how warm 22 degrees can feel. I had a great weekend. I can’t even put my finger on what actually made it great, but it was. The weekends are really the only time I get to quilt without being tired. I’ve taken a week’s worth of pictures to post.

First off. I’m bragging--- no ifs, ands or buts. I’ll make no attempts at denying it. My daughter writes a weekly column for our local newspaper. It’s a six-day a week newspaper, with rough 16 pages an issue. She took the internship in the fall. Chelsey goes to the newspaper one hour a day to learn the basics in journalism. She took the deer hunting pictures in November. She’s learning how to set the comics. And she’s learned a lot about writing. She wanted to write impacting stories obesity, teenage drug use, etc.,. But the editor said, “ Chelsey, there’s enough news in the newspaper. People want to hear about your life.” So….She’s wrote about her brother, her car, the mouse in her car,and volunteering at a nursing home. She’s given good press to her grandmothers and her dad. People always ask me—“When is she going to write about you?” I’m sort of her counsel for subjects, so I never put myself on the topic list. She used to let us preview the articles. But as she has grown more confident, she’s told us,” You have to wait for the viewing audience”. A little scary…

Well, in Friday’s paper, here’s her article.
I’m so proud. As a parent, you are always fighting the battle within yourself—How come I can’t get through to her? What am I doing wrong? Well, she made my day, week, month and year in one swoop.

Just a little something to let you know, it’s OK to believe in Santa Claus, because miracles do exist. And while parenting is the toughest thing I’ve ever done without a doubt, I’m glad I made the choice to have kids.

Today’s a big day at work. I’ve got my biggest aircraft part sale ever. The company is coming today to inspect and take possession of the parts. Everything is in place. I’ll just be glad when 3:00 pm gets here.

I’ve got pictures of the borders I’m working on for the basket quilt. They are leftover squares from another project.
I’m really thankful I didn’t toss them. I think they’ll be great for the quilt. The tan fabric is a piece I’m “Letting go” of for the backing of the quilt. I don’t think there’s enough for the entire backing so it’ll give me a chance to put together a pieced backing, something I’ve never done.

It’s still below zero this morning, but I think it’s supposed to hit 17 degrees today. I was daydreaming on the way home yesterday about bike riding. The time will get here; I just have to be patient.

Gratitudes:
1. Email
2. Laughter at dinner
3. Photographs from home

Sometimes you have to have a bad day to appreciate the good. I went to the dentist on Monday to get a crown put on a tooth. It’s something that had been needing to get done and I finally ‘bit the bullet’ and did it. When they started drilling, it turned out I needed a root canal--- or lose the tooth. So, I got it done and went back to work. Heck, it was numb so no big deal. I woke up Monday night with fever. I don’t know if the two were related, but I did the ‘Advil Thing’ and went on to work. The dentist got me some antibiotics. Other than that weak feeling you get after fever I felt pretty good the rest of the day.

I went home and knocked out the chores and started supper. The project for the evening was below.
My Sunday school kids are making snowmen this week so I got all of the pieces together. They’ll have hearts instead of stars in their Hands for Valentine’s Day. They’re made out of mittens. I’ve been collecting mittens from the Goodwill store for over a year. With 19 kids in class I need ten pairs. I even kicked around buying them and you just can’t find mittens anywhere in the stores. I think these guys are real cute. They’re filled with popcorn. Anyone wants the instructions just email me. I like the way the mitten ’thumb’ becomes the snowman’s arm. There’s nothing like seeing that 4 year old handing their Mom a gift after class….

I’m still hand-quilting my Mom’s gift. I’m really cutting it down to the wire, but we’ll get it completed yet. It’s warmed up a little (ha!ha!) It was 5 below this morning.

Gratitudes:
1. A Pellet Stove keeping us warm at night.
2. The Half moon lighting my way to work.
3. Don – he turns 45 today.

I haven’t posted in a week. Life has been getting in the way I guess. I ‘ve been working on hand quilting my Mom’s valentine table runner. Here’s a photo of it in the flimsy stage. The wind was whipping while I tried to photograph it. We'll show a completed picture later.


Chelsey turned 17 on Sunday. You have to realize we don’t have birthDAYS in our house--- we have birthFESTIVALS that last about a week. And Chelsey attempts to get the most ‘bang for the buck.’ The temperatures have been frightful. 17 below in the mornings. Sunday it never came above zero. Think about it…At –17 degrees, it could literally warm up 48 degrees and still be below freezing. I had to pull the parent card and say, “no sledding” and “no ice-skating” over the weekend. It just wasn’t safe.

Eric tried to come home Friday, but got about 20 miles out of town and had car trouble. It was weather related so we looked on the Internet and lucked out and found a good mechanic that had a son away at school too, so he took good care of Eric. It was one of those times when I didn’t want Eric to travel as much as I wanted to see him. But you never want to tell your kid they can’t come home. But we’ve decided that we’re going to have too. He even said the university was telling people to stay in side.

Hope everyone is staying warm.
Gratitudes:
1. Our furnace.
2. Green quilting thread
3. Devil’s food chocolate cake for Chelsey.

A few years ago I had a meeting at a packaging company in Green Bay. We were designing a new boxing concept for golf tees and I was lining up the manufacturer. Nervous, was an understatement. Petrified was a better word. There were $$$ involved and the boxes were going around the world. The meeting was outstanding.

I’ll never forget. I talked with Don. He asked, “ How did your day go?” At that very moment looking down a busy street all of the lights were green. There was a stoplight at every block, and at that very moment they were all green.

I said, “Have you ever had one of those days—you look down the road and the lights are all green!?!!?!?” “ Good, then it was a good day- Come home”.

The Green light road led to a quilt shop. I treated myself to the fabric below. The pattern is called Yellow Brick Road.
It was completely fun to make. The flannels are totally not the normal for me, but I was neck-deep in winter and the colors cheered me up. I pull the quilt out every year around this time. The back is sunflower yellow; I wish I’d taken a picture of it.

The pattern cover doesn’t do anything for me, but I’ve seen it made up and always like it.
I’ve even see baby quilt panels made and the yellow brick road blocks surrounding the panel for great baby gifts.

Hope everyone’s day is filled with green lights.

Gratitudes:
1. A Good Boss
2. A daughter that’ll run errands for me
3. Spaghetti for supper

We’ve got the dress!!!! We’ll post a picture on the night of the prom, but here’s a peak at the dress. …
Thursday afternoon we hit the trail to Green Bay and found the perfect dress. They even did the alterations while we went out for supper. It looks like Belle from Beauty and the Beast. We tried on several dresses, but this was her favorite. I’m not responsible for the room the dress is in. It’s her room.

While we waited for the alterations, we stop at a shop I’d always wanted to see. Chelsey said I deserved it ‘putting up’ with her. But really she did pretty well on the shopping. I got the painted plate. …
The dried Mums are from the front yard. The folded napkins were bought in Louisiana when I went in December. The Linen table center was a $2.00 find shopping with my Mom one summer.

I was trying to remember a quilted piece to put with the plate when I remembered this that has been tucked away for a few years. …
I suffered from burn out and packed it away. I’m waiting on batting to finish my Mom’s valentine gift so I pulled some scraps together and have begun working on some braided borders for the basket quilt. I so remember hating this piece when I packed it away. The basket block was my favorite block …
and I don’t remember if it was the weather, the timing, pressures around the house, but I do remember stating this piece would probably never get finished. Now I’m having lots of fun with it. I think I’m going to hand quilt baskets outlines in the solid center blocks.

I kind of had the blues all weekend. Maybe it was the cold—highs of only 11 degrees today. But Ransom and I braved a walk anyway and it cheered me up. We all had much needed down time too.

Gratitudes:
Saving old quilt blocks
Extra quilts on the bed
Manicotti for supper.

I’ve never taken a quilt class. I’ve read about them. Sometimes when I look at quilt shops on line I read their class lists and look at the quilts that would be made. Maybe money was the issue, but more often than not, it’s the time factor plus living in a small town where there are no quilt classes. When Lynette Jensen came out with the second Thimbleberries hardcover book, I saw so many classes popping up to create the quilt, ”The Lost Mittens”. So I looked up the quilt—I love mittens--- but the quilt didn’t do anything for me. In fact, I really didn’t like it. Later I saw kits for the quilt, I thought, whatever. Well, Chelsey and I went shopping in Marquette and I saw the quilt made up…. I loved it. As dumb as it sounds, quilts speak to me--- and this quilt said a lot. Of course, being a thinker, I didn’t buy any fabric for it. I let the opportunity go by. But I couldn’t get the quilt out of my mind. Three days later I’m calling the shop---I really don’t care what colors, just put some Thimbleberries flannels together and the wool pieces… I have to make this quilt.

So a few stitches later here it is…


OK—You’re probably like I was---“I don’t get it” kind of mood….But when I saw it in person, this is what I thought. It’s hard being a parent. Many times you are incredibly unpopular because you have to make the tough calls. ‘No, there’s nothing you can do after midnight that you can’t do before…”
“ No, you’re not leaving the house with that much make up on…” “If you get a MIP (Minor in Possession of Alcohol) You’re done.”.
Your heart wants to be that hero- that be all- do all- Popular person in your kids eyes… but your mind knows that you just can’t be that and be successful at the task--- to be a diligent parent.”

But I can tell you--- I WILL be an outstanding Gramma. I can just picture (About 10 years from now) being wrapped up with a grandbaby trying to match the mittens on this quilt.. Can’t you???? I’ll tell them funny stories about their Mom or Dad. We’ll have cookies and hot chocolate from Snowman dishes and cover up with this quilt.
It was the first flannel piece I ever made. The mittens are wool. Year round it’s folded on a chest downstairs and it’s everyone’s favorite to cover up with and watch TV—Even Don talks about it.. and He doesn’t comment much on quilts.

Gratitudes:
Turkey tracks in the snow
A Gorgeous Sunrise this Morning
Chicken Noodle Soup for Lunch

I’m dragging this morning. Chelsey worked last night and so I was up until 10:15 pm waiting for her. When your day starts @ 4:30 am, you’re pretty weary by then.
I got home from work and literally ‘threw’ clothes in the washer and Ransom and I took off trotting through the snow. I wear hiking boots for balance and traction on the snow and ice. They’re definitely heavier than walking shoes.

This weekend I put on the dishes for Valentine’s Day.
They don’t have hearts or anything. They’re just red. Not expensive. I loved them because I loved the Red house on them.
I think I liked them ‘subliminally’ because they look like fabric around the edges.
The Red coffee pot was a Christmas gift from my Mom one Christmas.

I got the fabric I ordered for my Mom’s Valentine’s Day runner. It’s packaged so pretty--- almost too pretty to cut. Maybe, I’ll have a picture for tomorrow. I was going to use the same principle I made for My MIL’s quilt for my Mom’s. But I thought about it. My Mother in Law has two daughters in law. I would pretty much be disappointed if she gave us the same thing. Not that there is anything wrong with Cindy; we’re just different people. If I call Don’s Mom at work, or if I send her a note I always sign it, ‘Your Favorite Daughter-In-Law’. Presumptuous, probably. Arrogant--- Definitely. True? Most probably not. My Mother-in-Law isn’t like that. It’s just a joke between the two of us. She’s a neat lady.

So anyway, I’ve got another pattern and blocks to put together for my Mom’s runner. I’m making it without a ‘Valentine’ theme because anything could happen and it might not make it on time—so she can keep using it long after the holiday.

Gratitude:
1. Caffeine – to get me through the day.
2. The Jeep’s Radio
3. Fresh Sheets

Busy Weekend. Busy Monday. After working a long day on Friday, Don, Chelsey and I plowed into the weekly house cleaning. Chelsey was having friends over and we decided we might as well ‘divide and conquer’. Then Don decided we were getting dressed up and going out for dinner… OK—I’ll slow down for a second, while you get back in your chair. Yes—we went out just the two of us. What a treat. We get take out a lot—Chinese, pizza, subs. But with teenagers, you get so involved; some times other things get put on the back burner. We had to come straight home to chaperone the ‘friends’ but it was really good for me. I know, all good things in time…

Chelsey worked Saturday and hung with friends, so Don and I were friends—all weekend. We played “Creative leftovers out the Fridge”. It was fun. It saves on cooking and waste and you do it together and see what kind of dishes you can create. Good memories.

Tons of football. The best teams won. I was pulling for the Saints, but there’s next year… maybe.

I made the labels for my Heart Crazies quilt and my MIL’s too.
Ransom and I slipped outside and took a picture of the quilt. I really love the way it turned out.
The pattern had a variation of this, but I added a block and change the size of the borders too. I'm mailing it tomorrow.

Gratitudes:
1. Cinnamon Toast
2. 25 Degree Temps so Ransom and I can get outside
3. Letters in the Mail

Three orphan blocks from my last project are going to become a valentine gift for my MIL. I bought the blue fabric over 5 years ago.
I bought it just because it was beautiful fabric. I loved it and yet I never used it. It’s one of those old attitudes that it was too pretty to cut. But now I realize what is the point of having fabric if it is just going to sit on the shelf.

My father in law passed away 12 years ago. I try to remember something for her every year. This will be the project for the weekend along with football. It’s still in the teens and single digits around here. But it’s January. This is normal.

We were heading to Green Bay this weekend, but Chelsey got extra hours on her job. She did the right thing by taking the hours. It was a tough call. There were tears involved. But she made the right choice by working. She’s kind of panicking that Green Bay might run out of Prom dresses. oh… to be 16 again. We have 3 months till Prom, I told her to relax. But when you’re 16….

Gratitudes:
1. That I thought ahead to warm up the Jeep this morning,
2. Scissors
3. The fact that things are getting easier to let go of….

You're Babar the King!

by Jean de Brunhoff

Though your life has been filled with struggle and sadness of late,
you're personally doing quite well for yourself. All this success brings responsibility,
though, and should not be taken lightly. Life has turned from war to peace, from damage
to reconstruction, and this brings a bright new hope for everyone you know. These hopeful
people look to you for guidance, and your best advice to them is to watch out for snakes.
You're quite fond of the name "Celeste".


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

I'd like to believe this were true.

It’s Thursday. I think I can make it to the weekend. I’ve been working on valentines. My Mom has been sharing the postcards I’ve been sending her. She has incorporated a list of friends that would like one. “You don’t have to write them a card, just mail them one.” She’s so funny. So Sunday, I pieced some scraps together and Valentine postcards were created.

I wrote on the other side, “Every day is Valentine’s Day when you share it with someone you love…” Corny, but true…

Chelsey has got to work tonight and I have to work late. I plan on hitting the treadmill, quick supper for Don, get half the housework that’s normally done on the weekend done because we are going to Green Bay Prom Dress shopping this Saturday. I have to wait up for her anyway. Don’s job has been taking it out of him, so he’s been checking out early. If (Big IF) I’m not totally exhausted I have some hand sewing I’ve been working on. Pictures to come later. I got Sunday School Junk to work on for my class too. If exhaustion does set in, there is always curling up with a book. My Mom just finished the 3rd Blossom Street book, and mailed it to me. Needless to say, I’m never bored. Life is good.

Gratitudes:
1. Crème for my coffee
2. Leftovers for lunch
3. My thread rack Eric gave me for Christmas. (I had more fun lining up the thread,)

Well the kid made it back to school safe and sound. I said to Don, “Maybe that trip will make a believer out of him, that the weather should make him leery of those long trips--- it took 8 hours instead of 6.5.” Don’s reply, “Are you kidding? I guarantee you it made him feel invincible. Like he can now handle anything!!” Guys--- what are you going to do with them?

Without a doubt I read more about quilting than I actually get to do. It’s not a complaint. It’s just a fact. I’m not “poor mouthing” either. I know my turn will come --- it’s just not right now. And I think I do a pretty good job juggling quilting time right now, with all the help I get around the house. Well, Libby and Jeanne have often spoken of Lynda Hall patterns. Well I researched it and have become completely charmed with her Primitive Pieces Pattern line. I joined her Pattern club to get updates and emails. Well—lo and behold, on Dec 29th I got an email saying I had won a drawing as the December Pattern club member and my prize would appear in the mail. I was thrilled

I’ll never forget the first time ordered patterns. She was gone to market and I had had a really crappy day at work. I needed therapy, so I tried to order 3 patterns. I left a message. Well, she called me back the minute she walked in the door from market because she said I sounded “pretty weary” over the answering machine. We must have talked for 20 minutes about quilting, quilt market, and fabric. Now that was real therapy. She didn’t even know me and took the time out for me.

Here is the prize that came in the mail.
It’s Mr. Jack Frost—monogrammed with the JF and Icicles. His home for the moment is the mantel of my fireplace.
The card is as cute as the piece. I’ll always remember Lynda, as it was hand made by her. My favorite part of the woolen piece is her initials she appliquéd on the back.
I guess the message for the day is that if you don’t put a label on your work, maybe just put the initials on it. It makes for great memories for others.

Gratitudes:
1. Surprises in the Mail
2. Libby
3. The TV Don hung in my sewing room a couple of weeks ago.

Scraps became pieces. Pieces became a binding.
The binding completed the quilt. I’m really proud of it. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
I’ve machine quilted before, but never meandered blocks on such a big project. Oh, it’s by no means perfect. There’s even one hiccup on the back where the fabric wasn’t pulled tight enough. But I think it’s just God’s way of telling me where the label in going. Sure, five years from now I’m going to look at this piece and probably be mortified at the quilting job, but I’m a better quilter because of this quilt. It’s in the entry way in my living room.

Eric surprised us Friday evening and came home. He had a 3-day weekend because of Martin Luther King Day. He’ll be leaving today while I’m at work. It was a great visit. I have to laugh. The High school age girlfriend had no idea he was coming home. She was grounded at home for homework issues with her family. So, we got Eric to ourselves all weekend. I guess you’ve figured out I don’t share real well. But we had a lot of fun with him. The weather isn’t real great, but by 10 or 11, the roads will be clear for travel. I’d appreciate prayers for his safety.

Speaking of prayers, thanks for all of the encouraging words last week. I really missed writing things down. I stole a few moments on coffee breaks. Even Don said—“You need to get back to that blogging thing. I think it de-stresses you…” Details aren’t important. What is—is that you all were really good to me. Thanks. And they don’t call us Steel Magnolias for nothing……..

Hey guys – I’m checking out for a couple of weeks. Problems at home. Nothing I can’t handle… just too many irons in the fire. We’ll catch up with lots of pictures later.
Take care. Hug your loved ones. Keep quilting.

No pictures today but a good weekend. The weather is still extremely warm for this time of the year. Ransom and I put on a good 6 miles outside and I got 7 miles on the exercise equipment. Yeah, body is a little achy this morning….we’re not as young as we used to be.

Eric made it back to school. We had it figured out that he needed to leave around 8:00am to stay in front of a weather front with snow in it. The weather kind of stalled out so Sunday morning we were letting him sleep in. We woke him about a quarter till 8, and he said he was picking a kid up in the next town at 8. So we were frantically getting him on the road. At least, this way there were no dramatic goodbyes. We talked with him a couple of times after he made it back. “ Dad, I just don’t want to be here…” Ouch. But this is the same kid that stayed 2 days after classes for a Christmas party with his Pharmacy Frat. He’ll be fine… it’s just an adjustment getting back in the routine… Who am I trying to convince… you or me?

I’m sewing on the binding on the Heart crazies quilt. I’ll have pictures in a couple of days. Then I’ve got a baby quilt to make. I had found some great pastel homespuns from Homespun Hearth.com. Ordered them. I’ve been waiting and waiting. Finally I called to check. Maybe the Internet order got misplaced. They’re just backed up because of the 3rd winter storm they’ve had. Nice people. It was so much fun to talk with someone about quilting. So, we’re going to improvise and use other fabrics.

I had better get my stuff together and head out to work.

Gratitudes:
1. My new Sugarland CD – track 3 is the best
2. Mittens
3. 9 kids in Sunday School

I’m beat. A 10 and half hour day—nine of those on my feet—for inventory. The majority of it is complete. I’ll begin the number crunching tomorrow. I feel real good about it. Everyone pitched in to help.

My quilt that I’ve been working on didn’t get completed over the New Year’s holiday. Chelsey had a school project and after a little direction the sewing machine got used for it.

Check it out. Their class is reading the classic, “All is Quiet on a Western Front,” by Erich Maria Remarque. Her assignment was to give each of the eleven chapters a name and find some way to illustrate the name.

Here’s the picture.


She used the principles behind the fabric postcards. There’s an appliqué of a symbol describing each chapter and a title. On the other side, she typed a letter describing the symbol and the meaning in each chapter on cardstock and them stitched them together. She called it, “Letters to Home”. She gave her presentation this morning. While she teases me at home about being the “Dorky Mom”, I say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree…….

There’s hopes of quilting tomorrow. And running Ransom. I know there’s a balance between work and home life. Everyday isn’t as tough at work as this one. But it was 21 degrees warmer than the average temperature for January 2nd. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky—all day.. and I missed it.

I know. Suck it up. Be thankful I have a paycheck. And I don’t work EVERYDAY of the week. Tomorrow, I’ll be home at 3:00. Hopefully.

Quilt some for me----

It’s 7:00 am on the first day of 2007. I ‘m up and the rest of the house is quiet. Cheerios complete, I’m heading downstairs to the sewing room. Twenty kids last night.. Everyone made it home. The weather was threatening snow and ice, but it remained warm enough for fog and rain.

I’ve got to go in to work for a couple of hours just as mental preparation for the inventory tomorrow. No complaints, it’ll be quiet and I can get a lot done.

Don’s had a rough few days. I’ve just been giving him space. That about all I can do.


This is a picture on Christmas Day. I’ll keep my sled out until March- at least. I put away the Christmas quilts and brought out January's. I completed this quilt the first week in May of 2006. You can't exactly put a snowman quilt out in May, so this is it's first appearance on the quilt rack. It's like finding a new friend. Kind of makes you feel good... Swapping quilts around does that.

I hope everyone brings in 2007 healthy, safe and happy.