AAAHHHH....

Things have been a smidge crazy here. Grandma is in the hospital. She had surgery on Tuesday and we have been running running running. Went to visit today and it was amazing how much better she looked. Still in ICU, but my guess she will be moved tomorrow or Saturday at the latest. So a little relief on that front.
Can anyone tell me why they have all the signs up that say no cell phone use or computers? It was hard not to notice that the nurses sit at nurses station on computers and the doctors run in talking on their cell phones. Hmmm, what's wrong with that picture? Inquiring minds need to know. They say it will interfere with the equipment. Makes me think it's all about noise.

Been working on bags for Brandi. Hopefully I will be able to pass some of those off over the weekend.

I've also been trying to update my Artfire site. Never thought doing the computer part would be such a pain in the hinny. I really need an underpaid assistant to help me. The sewing part really is much more fun.

My hope is to have some quilt content by the weekend. I have blocks on my design wall and a top cut out on the cutting table. Gotta to have stuff to machine quilt and take to the hospital with me.

Have a great Friday. I'm so glad it's close.

July....Really?

It can't be July, can it??? I say that for a lot of reasons.

Yesterday, we took one of Grace's friends from school and her mom to the zoo. We had a LOT of fun. We only made it through the Africa exhibit. Thankfully we are Friends of the Zoo, so I see another trip in our very immediate future.


There is a new baby Zebra at the zoo. He/She was running around and acting very frisky. The kids thought that was the GREATEST thing to see it kick up some dust.


That lovely green disgusting tongue is the result of a disease picked up on our trip....Okay not really, it's from a multicolor bomb pop. Still looks pretty gross although I hear it was FANTASTIC.

July...Really? also relates to our weather. It's been in the high 70's low 80's. So unheard of for July. The boys are heading out this morning for a long bike ride. Yesterday's zoo trip was made even more enjoyable due to the weather. Last night we ate dinner out on the deck with family. Grammy and Grampy even complained of being chilly and went inside (they can do that, they are in their 80's).

July...Really? is because I just realized school starts in a month. Yes school. Kindergarten. New routine, new friends, new clothes, new shoes. YIKES. I'm ready, but I'm not ready. Big changes just around the corner.

Today I'm hoping to get my Artfire website updated with embroidery and quilt pictures. I would like to be able to send out a note to all the people that came to Ladies Night Out and let them know that I'm updated and ready to go.

Grace and I are off to get haircuts today. I think there might be a trip to the quilt shop after we are done. Can't let them think I've fallen off the face of the earth since I haven't been in for such a long time.

Have a GLORIOUS day!

Ladies Night Out

I haven't fallen off the earth, I've just been really busy preparing for the Ladies Night Out that I participated in on Saturday. In an effort to promote my embroidery endeavors, I jumped in and accepted an invitation to participate. Brandi, the photographer we use for pictures, coordinated the event and did all of the advertising / emailing.

My table was set up on the side of the tent that didn't have a panel. I'm very thankful for that because it was SO hot on Saturday. The air at least moved on the outside of the tent.

Below are samples of the embroidery that I took with me. I had fun making all of the bags and Christmas ornaments for the event. I did samples of the fonts on burp clothes.

Below is one of the bags that I did for the event. I had to make 30 bags that were given away to the first 30 people through the door. In each bag, I included 3 Christmas ornaments. I figured it's never too early to start thinking about Christmas.

I'm hoping that I can get back and do some quilting or at least piecing this week.

Have a good week.

The Loot

Couldn't pass up showing you some of the loot I came home with from our trip. Grace and I hit some fun stores.

First is the helpers. They all had to come up and supervise while I was taking pictures. At least there isn't any hissing or barking going on when this picture was taken.

At the NQA Show, there was wonderful vendor mall. It was busy, but no where near as busy as it gets in Chicago at that show.

Tammy Tadd had a booth. I love her stuff. She hails from Sycamore Illinois. The above fabric is going to be used for a skirt for Grace. She picked it out. I really like the colors.

Very cool hand stitched hearts. I can't find the lady's business card now or my receipt. UGH. She also made purses with the cool designs on them. I'm not sure what I'm going to with my blocks yet.

Designs by Debbie. I'm going to be the Queen of the Girl Cave. Hopefully it will be as easy as it looks.
Pieceful Gathering in Fox River Grove, Illinois. Poor Grace got whiplash. We were driving up Rte 14 to Cary (my home town) and I saw the sign. I whipped the car around and drove into the parking lot as quick as I could. I had no idea there was a shop so close to my sister's house. Lots of reproduction fabric. We picked up some Christmas Fat quarters. Can't wait to get cutting.

Touch of Amish in Barrington Illinois. Also very close to my sister's house.

Creative Fires in Springfield, Ohio. Fired up the GPS on my Sprint phone and we were off. This is the craziest store. 1/2 of it is pot belly stoves, the other half is a quilt shop. Couldn't resist picking up some Christmas fabric. The pattern that you can't see is Take 5.


Now I'm broke and won't be able to buy anything for quite awhile. We definitely had fun shopping.

Trying to Catch Up

Happy July 1st. I'm still trying to figure out where June went. Guess when I do, then I should figure out where May and April and March, etc. went too.

Finally, I have quilt pictures from the show to share. These are from the NQA show we went to in Columbus on June 19th. The quilts were absolutely wonderful. I didn't get as many pictures as I wanted because the camera was dropped on the cement floor at the show and it hasn't work right since. I know what I will be buying shortly and it won't be fabric. The picture below is one tired kid who is now trying to make it through life without naps in preparation for kindergarten in August. Needless to say, she hits the car and she's out cold.

NQA Quilt Show

Today is the official merger date for the company I work for. We are merging with another telephone company. Things will definitely be changing. Good bad or indifferent, seems to be part of the business climate these days.

Big plans for the weekend? Friday night we plan to head to First Friday's in downtown Kansas City. It's fun because many of the starving artists open up their studios for you to go through. There are bands and lots of food. I think that is the most exciting thing we have planned for the long weekend. My hope is to get some serious embroidery work done this weekend in preparation for my "Ladies Night Out" event on June 11th.

Have a great 4th!