Merry Christmas!

I know a day late and a dollar (or few) short....but I have to share all my spoils because I have great friends and awsome new gifts.

First and far mostest is my awsome new digital camera ---and it has a shutter button too :)



It's a Fuji Finepix J38 and I love it.  It does panoramic pictures too!  I have to play more with that feature but I've been taking lots of "make-up" images of my quilting things and gifts.

I participated in a quickie Christmas Swap through Pat Sloan's group and my swap partner was Ms. Nancy.   I wasn't able to take pictures of what I sent her, but I opened her present to me on Christmas morning and found wonderful surprises.  Inside her package was a beautiful table runner, a snowman embroidered card, some godiva chocolate, 2 fat quarters and the coolest new ornament---a pirate santa!  I now have 2, looks like a new thing I will be collecting:







Then from my friend Betsy in Florida, she sent me this AWSOME Catherdral Windows.....I already have it hanging and it will remain hanging in my sewing area:



I didn't get a lot of quilty things from family and close friends....they know I just get what I want at work, so I got some great useful items, like a new frying pan, a covered ice scraper, stationary with my name, lotion and chocolate.  One other gift my hubby and I got together for us was a single cup coffee maker, Keurig.  OMG....we love it love it.  (Thanks to Jane getting me hooked on one)  We are probably drinking way too much coffee the past 2 days, but it's fun to try the variety of flavors.



Well, now I've got a new camera I am going to pre-post for this week.  I have lots of new pictures to share and organinzing my sewing studio to set myself on weekly goals this coming year.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, blessed with family and friends and love.  I know I'm grateful for all you who participate in my blog and make me feel special.

Yah for the weekend....

and a HOT one here in Merry-Land!! 99 degrees...that is the temp without the heat index...YUK...good thing I have a good friend and we visited a quilt show!!

First, let me start off by saying thank you to all the comments on the last post. I don't feel I need to respond to any of them, because you all said the same thing. It was very frustrating when I was doing some admin stuff to close out my swap, thank you for listening.

Second....I MISS YOU!!! I haven't had time to sit and enjoy your posts, so I'm in the process of doing that this evening and tomorrow.

Thirdly, I have PICTURES :)

The wonderful and thoughtful Cheri make some very cool coasters to work nicely in my sewing area. Notice the fabric in pink is the same as my curtains in blue :) Isn't that cool!  Thank you again, Cheri!



Next I have done some sewing!!! I started this project using my new pattern book "Let's Do Lunch" and realized after I sewed most of the triangles, I did it wrong and need to rip most of them out to redo...le sigh...but it's going to be way cool when it's done:



I also made lots of progress on my 9 Patch Pizazz and will post pictures of it as I hope to finish it tomorrow!

Did I mention I went to a quilt show today?  With awsome air conditioning. It was put on by Quilter's Unlimited and was a nice simple show. I guess it wasn't what I totally expected from a show, there were no awards or ribbons. Keeping that in mind it was a great way for local quilters to show off their projects. I really didn't find any quilt that just stood out, nor over impressed me. But I was tickled to see kitties and a Dear Jane Journey quilt. This picture is of my good friend Donna who chauffeured me to the show (she just rocks my socks). She kinda blends into the quilt doesn't she? :)



I created an album of quilts I enjoyed from the show, click here.

Of course there was shopping...lots of good buys and we spend the first 5 hours wandering around vendors, spending money and gather information. Here's what I came home with:



Not to bad, it helps I have limited fundage :)

Whew.....I'm tuckered out now....but I have so many things to do.

I was behind....

wowsers...I slacked over 3 days replying to comments....epp!!  So, I have gone through all my comments and added my 2 cents in bold--if you are curious to what I might have to say :)  Dunno if I'll go through all my emails to reply though....seriously, it's a lot of emails.  Please don't be offended if I didn't respond.

OOOo....I got mail!  All the way from the UK!  Ms. Karol-Ann sent me this wonderful care package from her home country visit--I love it all and the pin is perfect for my pin collection:



And this is what I spent all day at work doing yesterday....it was a huge challenge.  It's for a customer who wanted this as an aisle runner for her daughter's wedding.  Sharon (co-worker) designed the big green amperstamp and I ironed it on, then I digitized the specific font she wanted and using the Designer SE at the shop, did the embroidery.  My boss satin stitched it down today.  I hope the customer is happy with the results as much as we are!  The white muslin was not good quality and is very hard to keep from wrinkling.



So, this weekend I plan to sew!  I haven't spent time just sewing in a long while.  With all my busy weekends, visits and trips around the country, I'm glad to have just a weekend to vegged and maybe get some things accomplished in my own project bin! .....ooh I just realized I get to sleep in tomorrow as well---BONUS!

Quilty Stuff!!

First a very BIG HUGE thank you to my SSCS partner....who ever she may be in the Netherlands....still no clue who it is. This is what she made just for me:





And I have been sewing a little bit and completed 2 more runners - better late than never and I'll have these in the mail next week.




So, would my SSCS, please step forward and let me know who you are? Thank you again for the beautiful gifts - they will be used!!

Mail stuff….

I keep meaning to and forget, so doing it now before I forget AGAIN! :D

First, a few weeks ago I received a wonderful package from my Secret Santa Christmas Swap - I have NO CLUE who it is (they didn't put in a card), and I haven't opened the gifts yet...once I do I'll share pictures and hopefully my sender! :D

Second, thank you Ms. Celtic Knots (aka Cathi), I received my little package of goodies and love them both! The key chain went right to work holding my van key and the charm I plan to wear!

Third, out of the total blue today a friend from LJ land sent a gift - it was a fun calendar - but I so needed the special attention today after all the stress I had and still await the arrival of my sister and her kids. (read this to learn more)

Forth, Ms. Sharon surprised me with a card and tea!

So, thank you all for sending the wonderful surprises. They have all arrived at the perfect time I needed them too!

Pictures will be coming....I know you all love pictures!