It's been awhile and I've been busy

I can't believe January is nearly gone--I'm still recovering from Christmas! A lot has happened in the past few weeks: My trip to Chicago was great! All three of the kids in one place at the same time and NO arguments! What a gift! Lily (and all of us) loved the Shedd Aquarium and I can't wait to go back with more time to study all the displays. We also went to the Adler Planetarium which I thought was a little too scientific for Lily (and me too! ) but a week after our visit, Lily and I were walking back from dinner on a cold, clear and starry night, and she found several constellations that we'd learned about at the planetarium. I would never have thought she'd retain so much--just like a little sponge.

I'm now officially a semi-retired/part time employee, and I love it! I'm supposed to work 2 days one week and 3 days the next week. So what did I do but forget to come to work on the third day of my first week as a PTer! I guess I'm ready and eager for this change. :)

Here's what I've been doing: A little embroidery:

This is a series of 12 designs called "Snowbound" from Bunny Hill Designs here http://www.bunnyhilldesigns.com/
I'm doing this as "bluework" instead of the applique it calls for and I've got 6 of the squares finished. I'll make the alternating blocks in blue and white as well.

This weekend I taught my very first quilting class and I think it was a big success. Last summer 3 of my friends asked me to show them how to make a table runner that I had at my house so we got together to do it this weekend. Was I a little nervous? Yes, since one of the ladies is a retired Home Ec teacher! And I'm not a trained teacher! All were accepting of my clumsiness at times and all nearly finished their table runners. This is the one that I was working on and using to show them how to do things:

I started quilting a meander in the center blocks and ditch stitching around the blocks. I'll do some more elaborate quilting as well but I've not decided what. The pattern is from Gathering Friends here: http://www.gatheringfriendsquiltshop.com/store/index.php and the pattern is from the Runner Crazy book.

I stopped at one of my favorite quilt shops on the way to Lake Mills, http://www.millhousequilts.com/ in "The world's only Waunakee." I found this pattern for a little card holder--I have soooo many punch cards from various quilt shops and other places, like my hairdresser and the store where I buy my bras and undies, and I think this little baby will hold them all. Cards, that is.

I also found some fabrics in the sale room that I liked--at a good price. I decided it was time to use more yellow in my quilting so I picked up some. I got the blue just because I liked it, and the brown check I think will work well for a basket block BOM my guild is doing. I'll use it for all the baskets and use different fabrics for the things in the baskets.

I also found the fabrics I want to use in a throw quilt I'm going to make out of the Moda charm pack I got a few weeks ago. It's the Civil War Homestead line and I also bought the off-white patterned fabric for background and maybe backing for the quilt. I needed something for the border and I found this roll of 7 fat quarters of the same Homestead line.

I think I'll have enough to make a nice pieced border of some kind--I still haven't figured out what pattens I'll use for the center of the quilt much less the borders! As usual, my mind is far ahead of my hands when it comes to quilting!

I listened to the Bears-Packers game on the radio all the way home this afternoon and I'm so sad the Bears lost. I know, I live in Wisconsin and what I just said is blasphemy here, but I can't bring myself to be a Packer fan. Sorry. I made a pot of sausage and shrimp jambalaya for supper to console me and the aroma is driving me crazy with hunger! Time to get some comfort food in me.