"Sew" Happy!

I had a great weekend: breakfast with my new growth group ladies, shopping for quilting fabric with Nancy, then having a party with the Heltons, Chrissie and Matthew, Ashley and Chris and Miss Violet. We hit Costco and figured out dinner, amidst about 1,000 other shoppers - it was Saturday and we should have known - then came back to our house and cooked it. We had ham, mashed potatoes, salad and Dan's delicious chocolate chip cookies. And, then we played baseball - our current favorite card game. Today I was able to begin my first square in Anne Sutton's Tisket a Tasket mystery square of the month program. I cut the background out wrong, so had to order another half yard. Love my new Moda "Hartfield" fabric for my log cabin quilt class at Quilt in a Day and can't wait to begin. Looks like Eleanor Burns has an interesting way to sew the "logs" together; that will be tricky to learn I bet. But, fun as Nancy and Joyce will be learning it, too. Looking forward to a great new week, because I am "sew" happy!

TGIF

It's Friday; thank heaven I made it through the week. It was tough work-wise, but the days flew by and I am thankful for that. I learn more and become more confident every day. One thing I know for sure: I do enjoy helping the clients and providing "superior customer service." It is truly rewarding. Tonight is the night of the big dinner/dance/auction in Tucson. I have been there this night for the past six years and it just feels weird not to be a part of it. I hope everything went well and that it was a big success. Amanda wasn't there this year either, so that helped as she was my buddy walking the show and having the celebratory drink and dancing when all the hard part was over. I am looking forward to hearing all about it on Monday. Tomorrow is breakfast with my new Growth Group lady friends, then I pick up Nancy and we are going to Quilt in a Day to buy fabric for our log cabin quilt class coming up later this month. I am getting the new Moda line with pretty fabrics named after Jane Austin characters. Joyce is in Tucson, so we will miss her as she is always up for a fabric jaunt. And, a big woo-hoo to Anne Sutton for the February mystery "Tisket a Taskit" quilt block for 2009. I spoke with Sue and she is going to make it and send me her patterns; now that is a good sister! (Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters!!!)

iLove

OK, so maybe I'm not the greatest technologically-gifted woman on the planet. I can manage this blog and send email, but can't seem to update my position at work on Linked In and, apparently, sent an inappropriate gesture last week to one of my friends on Facebook without realizing it. (And, waiting for one of the kids to fix it.) But, this week I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and bought an iPhone. iLove it! It totally pulled me from the depths of my very difficult week and I suddenly have new hope and new joy again. Amazing what a small electronic device can do for a woman. Now if I can just get my contacts (all 1,100 of them) moved over to it; sigh. iLove; it's a good thing.

Snowmen

I am making aprons with hearts and snowmen on them using two pre-printed panels that I bought several years ago. Step one in my 2009 resolution to make all my uncompleted projects. I am zig zagging the edges and they really are cute. It may be past Christmas, but with the cold weather these days, snowmen are still in. Even one of the magazines in my stack (does everyone have a magazine stack or is it just me?) has a whole feature about how to make various themed snowmen. There is even one you can fashion to recline in a lawn chair and give a frosty drink with a little umbrella in it! So, what is it about snowmen? Maybe it's their coal black eyes? Or, maybe as a "woman of a certain age," an icy cool guy is just what I'm searching for when those dreaded hot flashes occur.

Saturdays

Saturdays are good for sleeping in, catching up on magazines - some still have Christmas trees on their covers - going to the post office, getting a haircut and SEWING! Hope I get done with my errands in time to sew a bit before church tonight. Carrie up at her apartment, Ashley has gone to the bookstore to get a book for one of her classes; she started her semester this past week. Dan is fixing the cupboard in Ashley's room because one of the doors fell off. He had coffee this morning at Starbucks with the new growth group guys and really enjoyed it. I'll see Robin for my haircut and all the latest news. Quiet weekend, but - hey - quiet can be good. Take a few moments today to be quiet yourself.

Lazy Weekend

Took a little time off yesterday afternoon to have lunch with Joyce, then we met Nancy to visit the Quilt in a Day store. Their classes were 1/2 off yesterday, but we ended up signing up for a free class. It will be a log cabin class and I am really looking foward to it. I found new Moda fabric that I love and will use that for my lob cabin lessons. I have a log cabin quilt pattern that I want to make for my sister in law, I pulled her name for Christmas 09, so this way I can learn and then make hers. Seeing all the quilts at Quilt in a Day is very inspiring. I came away with new resolutions to finish all my projects! Hmmmm, just put the directions for how to make a headboard on hubby's table - wonder if we could work together on this project? Maybe I should have waited until after he's had his coffee . . . Situation normal: too many things planned and not enough time. But, it is only January and all of 2009 is ahead; I have optimism and isn't that really all you need?

Sneaking Away

The kids and I snuck away for a girls-only overnight in Newport Beach yesterday. Football games dominated the weekend and we thought, "why not?!?" We had a great time and may consider this an annual event for the weekend of the football playoffs. At home, Dan was glued to the TV and Scott came over to watch the Chargers go down in defeat. When I heard they had to play in snowy, cold Pittsburgh, I knew it was over. Pottery Barn was closing their store at Fashion Island and everything was 70% off. I bought a black iron quilt stand for quite a steal. It is placed in Dan's room with my first quilt draped over it and looks quite nice. Now, have to get back to reality - and the first 4 a.m. teleconference with India for 2009. Better get to bed early tonight!