Changes

Thinking about where we've been...

And what we'll leave behind...and miss....

So we've been fixing things up to get ready...

And painting...and reorganizing...

and dreaming of where we might someday be...

Our house is on the market...showings will start this weekend.  It's been a flurry of craziness getting ready, decisions to make, too much to think about! The hardest decision is what to do with this...

Yes, I'm keeping it.  But only to work on my own projects.  Once my last two customer quilts are done, it will be taken down, packed away and Lakeside Quilting will close its doors.  It is time to move on to new ventures.

Have I mentioned how excited I am?

My 15 seconds of fame...

He really did it!  Yesterday was my birthday and we happened to have tickets to the Phillies game as part of our season ticket plan.  I harassed the boss about wanting to have my name in lights for my birthday and he actually did it!  Along with your name in lights you get a few little gifts...including the opportunity to be totally humiliated when a cute guy comes to your section, announces it's your birthday and has your ENTIRE section sing "Happy Birthday" to you, complete with confetti sprinkled all over you! 

To top it all off, it was a Phillies WIN and Raul Ibanez got a hit...just for me, I'm sure!  :o)

What an incredible birthday!

A good week...

Last week I finished this quilt which was sent to a little girl celebrating her 4th birthday.  This is my second quilt for the Wrapped in Hope Program.

I finished this customer quilt...it was the second in the same pattern, but a smaller version.  Very cute!

And I discovered who has been eating all of the plants out in front of my house!  It was a good week...

Schnibbles Times Two Contest

I wasn't going to enter, but my travels today took me past a little quilt shop and a few Moda Charm Packs followed me home. The book arrived in the mail last week.  So here are my book and fabrics...the hard part is deciding which quilt to make!

Still here...

Beautiful flowers from Andrew for Mother's Day...I had a fabulous Mother's Day this year.  Each of my children brought me to tears with their thoughtfulness, I'm blessed to have such wonderful children!

I'm adjusting to the new job...it's going well and I love it.  But there has been little to no fabric therapy going on here and I miss it!  I finally sat down one night this week and made this quilt for a little girl who will be celebrating her fourth birthday in June.  This is the second donation quilt that I'm doing for Margaret's Hope Chest.  I have quilted a few customer quilts...but haven't taken pictures.  I have a feeling that my posts are going to be short for awhile, at least until I figure out how to juggle all that I have going on...but I will be back!

Another Miracle...

We were fortunate enough last week to head to Nashville, TN for a business meeting that the boss had to attend. 

 We stayed at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel from Wednesday until Sunday.  If you've never been in a Gaylord Hotel, it's a real treat!  They are just amazingly beautiful.

  Lee had meetings through Friday, then we were on our own Saturday.  We had planned to head to downtown Nashville, but as you might have heard, they had a little rain in Nashville over the weekend.  We hung out at the hotel and enjoyed ourselves for the day. 

 On Sunday, everything was flooding, so we decided to head to the airport a little early, just in case later in the day we couldn't get there.  It turned out to be a very smart move.  When our car came to pick us up, the driver couldn't come to the main entrance because the water was knee deep out front.  He picked us up elsewhere, and took back roads to the airport because all of the main roads were flooded. 

We sat and watched the bands of rain come through the airport and it was just frightening.  But, we were able to take off only a few minutes late and made it safely home.

Unfortunately, after we left, the flood waters poured into the hotel and it had to be evacuated.  Now this beautiful hotel looks like this and will be closed for months while they clean up.  The newspaper today estimated the damage to be close to $75 million.

Understatement...

Got a call from Andrew last night.  He says, "Mom?  I may have some trouble getting home.  I'm in my car and it's upside down.  I'm fine, but you may need to come pick me up."  He was on the NY Thruway, about 3 hours from home when someone cut him off.  He slammed on the brakes and avoided the car, but the woman in the Suburban behind him slammed into him, spinning and flipping his car into a ditch.  It's only by the grace of God that he is here today.  He grabbed his dog and held him until the car stopped moving.  They both walked away and Andrew only has a scratch on his ankle.  Miracles DO happen! 

I'm so behind...

I'll never catch up!  That's okay, I'm not even going to try.  Instead of being home, getting things done on Saturday, the boss and I headed into Philadelphia.  He had to scout out parking for the 15 passenger vans his company was using this week to transport guys around the city, so I offered to come along and suggested that we stop at a few places on South Street.  Being the good guy he is, he didn't mind heading to Spool and Loop...two side by side stores that sell some of my favorite things...fabric and yarn! 

I did manage to find a few things to take home from the stores...a few half yards of fabric for my AMG quilt and some beautiful sock yarn.  Then we went to the other end of South Street and hit Jim's for cheesesteaks and the Fourth Street Deli for some chocolate chip cookies.  But I have to admit, the highlight of the trip was standing in the yarn store watching them wind my yarn into pretty little cakes for me...I've been draping yarn over a chair and winding it into balls, which is no fun.  I was so entertained, I decided it was time to invest in my very own yarn swift and ball winder.  They arrived today...

Grace and I had more fun than anyone should have, winding a skein of sock yarn into a cake!  I can see it now...whenever we're bored, instead of playing Scrabble or cards, we'll pull out our new toys and wind yarn!  Oh yeah, we know how to have fun!

Congratulations Andrew!

Andrew just found out he won a contest for a plaid snowboard, sponsored by Burton Snowboards, RideVermont and Cabot Cheese with this poem...enjoy!  :o)

CG&GQC April Goals

No pics today...just a very short list, since I'm not sure that I'll have much time to sew this month!  Last week I was offered a job that I just couldn't turn down, so I'll be starting that next week.  As most of you know, I got my real estate license back in December and have been working with Keller Williams since the beginning of the year.  I'm going to be the Team Assistant for SJ Area Homes Team, which means that in addition to having my own clients and listings, I'll be working for the team preparing the paperwork, uploading listings to our websites, and whatever else I'll learn to do next week.  As a result, I've resigned from Weight Watchers and will go back to being a Lifetime Member.  So...I'm not sure how much time I'll have this month since I'll be training.

All that being said, my goals for this month are:

1. Finish my March AMG block,
2. Finish the sock I started last night,
3. Make an orange quilt for my next little girl from Wrapped in Hope, who has a June birthday.

I'm continuing to quilt for customers as well and have a few quilts lined up.  It's going to be a great month!

March Finishes

It didn't feel like I got much accomplished this month, but apparently I did get a few things done.  The cake stand quilt block top was completed.  I put it on the longarm to quilt it, but just couldn't do it...so I basted it and it will be hand quilted.

I finished the last block of my block of the month...now to make the sashings and cornerstones, which are also pieced.

This quilt was not on the list.  I volunteered to make a quilt for a 14 year old girl through Margaret's Hope Chest.  They had asked for volunteers for their Wrapped in Hope program, which makes quilts for the birthdays of children of inmates in different areas.  This quilt will go to a young lady whose birthday is in May.  It's all finished, just needs a label and I will post it at the end of the month so she has it in time for her big day.

I didn't get my tower of fabrics untied, let alone made into a quilt, nor did I finish my AMG block, although I did make substantial progress on it!  One thing I did make that wasn't on the list was this loaf of Easter Bread.  It was delicious with a cup of tea this morning!  I wish all of you a happy and blessed Easter!

National Quilting Day

Last weekend, the boss and I took a drive to Wheaton Village for the Garden Patch Quilters show. Here are a few pictures of quilts that I liked...I didn't take note of the quilters' names so if one of these is yours, please let me know so I can give you credit!

My husband is the best...

The boss is in Toronto on business this week and had some free time this morning.  So what did he do?  He found Lettuce Knit and stopped in to pick up some Canadian yarn for me.  I knew there was a reason I love him!

This and That...

Thought I should see what pictures were on the camera...sadly none of them were quilting!  We had a fun weekend...

Andrew and Max were here from Vermont...two of his college friends were married on Friday and he came down  for the wedding.  While he was here we went to the Library II to celebrate the boss's birthday...

along with Ellen and her friend Ryan...

And Grace and her friend Matt...

On Sunday Grace celebrated Pi Day...

with a chocolate cream pie...why did I give up chocolate for Lent?

Some sewing has been done...more on that later.  Unfortunately for me, Miley has spent more time sitting in my sewing chair than I have!

March Goals

I have a lot of goals for March, but will try to be realistic about what I have time to accomplish.  So,

1.  I'm going to try to do something with these blocks...just got in some fabric for the alternate blocks, I hope it works with them!

2.  I'm going to make my second Aunt Millie's Garden block.

and

3.  I'm going to try to come up with something to make with this...

I hope I get at least one thing finished!

February Goals...

Here are the results from my February goals...

#1.  Finish the 3 blocks I was behind for my Heartland Heritage BOM...turns out another came in after I posted and I was able to finish all 4 blocks this month!

#2.  Finish the January block for my Aunt Millie's Garden Quilt...I've already posted a pic, but here it is again!

#3.  Applique the AMG block for February.  Yeah.  This one didn't happen.  So I'll just make March's block next!

In the next day or two I'll post my goals for March, once I decide what they are!

Spring Sewing Party!

9:20 PM Update

Had dinner, watched Canada win the gold in curling and finished the first sleeve for my sweater!  I haven't knit a sweater for over 20 years (and that was a baby sweater).  It's obvious...apparently a few times during the lacy portion of the sleeve, I messed up and the pattern is off.  Good thing I'm not a perfectionist...I don't think it will be a glaring error once the sweater is done.  If it it, I'll reknit the sleeve.  I'm going to check out all the blogs and see what everyone else has been up to.  I'll leave the cutting of my second block for tomorrow...I'm a little too tired to use the rotary cutter! Can't wait to see what everyone has been creating all day!

6:00 PM - Second Update

Block #1 is finished!  Dinner and curling, then hopefully I'll still be awake to do block 2.  :o) 

4:30 PM - First Check In...

The plan was to be ready to go, with dinner in the Crockpot by 10am.  I was ready, dinner was set...but due to circumstances beyond my control, my plans were changed and I didn't set foot into my sewing room until 3:30 this afternoon. I was going to make the two blocks for my Heartland Heritage BOM as my first project...looks like I'll be lucky to get both of them done as my only project!

The first block is now cut and the sewing has begun...

And I"ll be taking a break to watch the Gold Medal Curling match at 6...it probably will be my last chance to see curling until the next Winter Olympics! 

I haven't been near my sewing machine in over a week and it's time.  Guess where I'll be this weekend?  Yep, Kelly and Joan are the hostesses for the Charming Girls and Guys Spring Sewing Party.  I'll be working on my February projects...see you on Saturday!

Aunt Millie's Garden Quilt

My January block is finished...now on to February!

Surviving the Storm...

On Saturday we had this storm...

So Grace decided to have a little treat...

Yesterday we had this storm...

And with this one we lost power...and heat.  Miley had the right idea!!!

Now I hear that there will be another storm on Monday...we've already broken records for the snowiest winter ever.  Any chance we can send this storm to Andrew? After all, we've had more snow than he has, and he lives in Vermont!  Good thing I like winter...

Angels Needed!

Chemo Angels is a non profit organization,which supports those who are going through chemotherapy for cancer.  I've been a volunteer for them for about a year, as a Card Angel.  I was assigned a patient and until she "graduated" from the program (she completed her treatment and was declared cancer free!) I sent her a card of encouragement with a little note each week.  For an investment of about $1.50 a week, I was able to support and encourage a person who needed that little boost in her time of need.  I've since been assigned a new patient and have started sending her cards as well.

My point?  I received this email last week...

Due to the tricky economic times as well as the recent holiday season, quite

a few Angels have had to resign during the past few months. We are in

serious need of new volunteers. Please help us spread the word! Tell your

friends, relatives, neighbors, co-workers --- anyone you feel would make a

great volunteer. We need Chemo Angels, Card Angels and Senior Angels. Send

interested parties to our website, www.chemoangels.com or .net to apply.

Thank you so much!

Chemo Angels Administration

If you can find it in your heart to volunteer as a Chemo Angel, please visit their website at Chemo Angels.  Also, if you know of someone who could use support during cancer treatment, visit their website and sign them up.  It's a fabulous organization, check them out!

February Goals

I think I'll take it easy on myself in February and only have a few goals!

#1.   Complete the 3 Heartland Heritage blocks that I am behind on...

#2.  Finish January's block for my Aunt Millie's Garden Quilt.

#3.  And finish February's Aunt Millie's Garden block as well...which I can't post a picture of because I haven't started it!  :o)

Also on my list of goals is to quilt 3 customer quilts and to sell a house.  We'll see how I do with those!