Heading to HMQS

Tomorrow morning early I am going to leave for Salt Lake City - well Sandy actually - and enjoy 3 days at the Home Machine Quilting Show.  I have done very little quilting for the past 4+ years and I have not attended a major show in that same time.  Life has gotten in the way - some good - some not so good.  But I am now going to enjoy some time basking in the fun of beautiful quilts, wonderful teachers, classes, and great vendor offerings.

Five years ago my friend Gail and I won first place at this show in the theme category with this quilt.  I had found my passion.  I then started on my next show quilt and it is still not finished.  I would love to get back to it and my soul tells me that now might be the time. I sure hope so. 

So - off to Salt Lake City - a 7 hour road trip!!!!  And a new road in my journey - I hope.

Cinco de Mayo . . .

I hope you had a wonderful Cinco de Mayo.  We had a relaxing day here and I spent most of the day in my studio.  We had our favorite beef burrito smoothered with green chili for supper tonight.  I made the fresh salsa yesterday and I got a really good "do" on it. 

Last week was busy but I did finally get a art quilt piece finished.  I have worked on it off and on for too long.  I finally trimmed it, used facing to finish the edges and attached it to an artist's canvas that I had painted black.  I like how it turned out. 

 

Later this week I am heading off to Salt Lake City for HMQS - a wonderful machine quilting show.  I have gone before, but did not go last year.  I am so excited!  I have sighed up for a few classes and it will be 4 days "on my own". 

Birthday Week!

Wow - 3 months and now words from me - what is up with that?

Well - January brought the flu to our house - the endless coughing seemed to last forever from that awful stuff.

February and March we went to Arizona  for some time in the sun and had a great time.  We stayed at some state parks and here is one from our first stop at Buckskin State Park near Parker, AZ.  This is the view we enjoyed out of our front windows for a couple weeks.

April has found me home, in my studio, helping Mom after a fall, and enjoying the grands.

This is the first day of my birthday week - some people have a day, but I love having a birthday so I have always had a birthday week.  Bob and I went out for breakfast this morning and now I am off to town for a couple errands.

More later . . . 

Happy New Year . . .

It seems like a strange New Years Day!  We didn't stay up to see the New Year enter and we didn't go anywhere last night to celebrate.   We have had a very relaxed day.  I came down with some kind of bug right after Christmas and am finally feeling better.  I actually did some baking and cooking today to use up some temptaions I had here that I didn't get done before Christmas. 

I made some great apple-pecan waffles for breakfast with real whipped cream.  We always have apples and the pecans are left over from the cookie baking before Christmas. I also never keep whipping cream around so got rid of that. 

I also made some cranberry/orange/apple/pecan chutney and a pan of "Magic Bars".  Those Magic Bars make short use of lots of chocolate chips, coconut, sweetened condensed milk. - and more pecans.  I am thinking most of the temptation is now out of the house and I will freeze those little temptations for when the grands come to visit.

We also had our usual own version of "Velveeta Queso" with hamburger for watching the Rose Bowl.  It is similar to this recipe.  Now that is done as well.  I made a small batch and it is gone - and that is good.  I don't have to buy or eat Velveeta for another year. 

So - tomorrow it is back to Weight Watchers and getting started with dropping some pounds again.  It seems I just keep losing a few pounds and then during "special times " finding them.  And, those special times seem to come more and more often.  Life must be really good, huh?  I am going to try to lose them again and I like Weight Watchers online. 

The Christmas decorations are still up and will remain until the Epiphany. I started this last year because I really like the peace and quiet of the lights and decorations and wanted more time to enjoy them and reflect on this joyful event.  It works!

I love New Years Day.  I am looking forward to a great year!

Merry Christmas from our house to yours . . .

And from our hearts to yours . . .

 The living room is ready. . .

And right around the corner in the crazy round house, the family room is ready . . .

 

Cookies are baked and waiting. . . 

And tomorrow the loved ones come to celebrate Jesus birth . . . 

Merry Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving . . .

I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday time.  We are looking forward to a couple days with family here - fixing turkey with all the trimmings.

I was just sitting around thinking of the blessings and being thankful.  I remembered this summer when the Portland kids were here.  This is a photo we took the morning they were heading back home.  Meagan is almost 9 now and Weston (on the left) is 7 and Walker is 3. It was fun to see them together. 

And believe me - that little lady in the middle kept those two boys on the straight and narrow - much to the chagrin of Weston who is usually the boss.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

ideas . . .

I tried to get this done in time to share at our Art Group tonight, but I unstitched more in the past couple days than I stitched.  But about 4 pm today I found myself on the right track.  I am  now anxious to get more time to work on it - but probably not until after Thanksgiving. 

The Art Group meeting was fun - saw some great stuff from others.