Here I am!

I've received some e-mails from Dear Blogging Friends asking, "Where are you?" I am here, just really busy....you all know how that goes.

Valentine's Day, Dear Hubby and I (and Younger Daughter) went for a van ride. You remember, my husband is disabled and moving about is difficult. Loading and unloading a 250 lb. wheelchair is not my idea of fun! So, we try to take car rides here and there, and often grab a bite to eat as we sit in the van and visit. So, that is what we did for Valentine's Day this year. Since everyone else had plans, we took Younger Daughter with us and I hesitate to tell you what we actually did. But, here goes....

Dear Hubby reminded me that we really needed to pick up a part for our wheel barrow since Spring is coming and we have lots of yard stuff to do. (read - Grandma and Younger Son have a lot of yard work to do! They both enjoy working outside!) He wanted to go to an old hardware store in a nearby town and mentioned, "Plus, the quilt shop is just across the street and you might need some fabric." (What a sweetie!)

So, we drove to a small town about 25 minutes away, and visited a hardware store that was once owned by my Pastor's family for about 80 years. (I believe that is the story, I talked to his mother this week and got some details.) I picked up an axle for our wheel barrow. (rather exciting, huh???) Then, I drove across the street and picked up these five 1 yd. cuts. Not a big investment, don't want to take advantage of my Dear Hubby's generosity! I cut a bit off of two of them to share with my Bee Ladies. (We swap 3 1/2 inch strips once a month, 2 different pieces.) The others, I'm selfishly keeping. I'm adding greens to my stash, because someday, I hope to make a green quilt. I'm thinking about trees.....hmmm.

Let's see....we left there, and drove to Chipotle and picked up a couple of the world's largest burritos! I shared mine with Dear Younger Daughter and Dear Husband brought part of his home for later. (We never can eat the whole thing, but they sure are good.)


As we were leaving the parking lot, we saw, or did Younger Daughter see, the Nestle Toll House Cookie Store. Dear Younger Daughter got 2 scoops of Dark Chocolate Ice Cream and Dear Husband and I had a cookie. (We bought extras to share with the family, too!)




When we got home, most of the family were back and I received in the mail something I'd ordered about 2 weeks ago. This book! I was so excited, I almost couldn't wait to sit down and look through all the pictures. This book has patterns for 17 different small quilts and I think I love every one of them. I'm thinking that my 100th post is coming up and I may have to make one of them as a give away! What do you think?

So, all in all, Valentine's Day was a lot of fun! (If just a bit different from the average American Valentine's Day!) But, then, we've never been an Average American Family!

Since then, I've been working on organizing my stash, cutting up strips and generally cleaning up my messes (in the sewing area of life). I found a new way to fold fabric pieces that are as small as 1/3 yd. up to 10 yds. It looks so organized.... Here are some before and after pics....and no, I really don't have a large stash. But you don't see what is under those cabinets in Rubbermaid containers. Novelties, 30's, Civil War Fabrics, hand dyed, quilt kits, etc. Plus, don't forget those 6 buckets of strips.

Dear Mother helped iron fabric so that I could empty out the laundry basket of "uglies" and "too small to store" bits of fabrics. Everything that needed to be stripped is done and waits in strip buckets for inspiration to hit.

Do you realize the self control it takes to have all your fabric cut into strips, receive a book of new small quilts and NOT make one? I am forcing myself to finish up my Bargello before I do another new project! And who can forget all the UFO's calling my name? And, the baby quilt which is getting closer to being done also?

Maybe I have too many projects going at once???? He he....oh, the life of a quilter!

Hope you enjoyed the pictures! Happy Quilting!!!!!!