RETREAT ... YEAH!!!

Oh, I'm almost packed with enough UFO's to piece for a month and the retreat only lasts until Wednesday. I think I won't run out of stuff to work on ... bindings to finish, taking the quilting out of a small wallhanging (just didn't like the way it looked), Andrea's Moma quilt to piece, 3 quilts that are class/pattern samples with blocks finished just waiting to be pieced into rows, and two baggies of "goose poop" just waiting to be squared, pressed, and pieced into mini basket blocks.

We're going to the Tilikum Retreat Center where they will feed us well, comfy beds, relaxing setting looking out over the valley. There will be about 12 of us. Barb Lamb is the organizer and calls the retreat "Quilters on the Lam" - great fun with good friends ... and 2+ whole days of uninterupted quilting bliss!

I promise to take lots of pictures and to give a full reports of all accomplished when I get back on Wednesday.

GRANDBABIES COMING SOON!

Ah, the Grandma bug has bitten me. The babies are doing well. They've made it to 32 weeks and are weighing in at 4 lbs now. We're hoping they stay inside for at least 4 more weeks before they decided to brave our world and be born.

In the meantime, I searched and found the crochet hook and did a few practice pieces to remember how to do the basic stitches before trying my hand at the booties pattern I picked up at the store the other day. I must say, remembering how to do the basic stitches was easy. It was reading and interpreting the pattern that became the challenge. I'm not sure I've gotten it all right yet, but I think the booties came out pretty cute and I'm sure Colin and Luci won't notice an errant stitch here or there.

The fabric under the booties is planned for blankets. I still need to find some coordinating fabric to go with this cheery flannel. I haven't decided if I want to make it into quiltlets or receiving blankets. This is not a good time for indecision. Those babies are coming soon so I'd best be making up my mind. All you Grandmas out there need to let me know of a good baby quilt pattern. What is your favorite that would suit this cute flannel?

Lots of Fun Stuff to Check Out

What a fun-filled great day ... work sandwiched in with play is a good balance. We had two students play their trombone solos today for league competition and they did so well. They have 5 more weeks to polish everything up before district where they compete to qualify for state.

Lunch out with my hubby is a very rare happening and is always a great treat ... followed by a quick but careful drive through the snow to get me back home and Mike off for his afternoon trombone students.

After a quick chat with my friends Al and Barb in NC I spent the rest of the day at the computer getting all the pdf's written and uploaded to my yahoo newsletter site so you will all know about the SALES, NEW DESIGNS, and FREEBIES I just uploaded to the "store" and my yahoo file sections.

I didn't want any of my blogger friends to miss out on the good deals, so I'm posting the list with links here, too. You'll find ...

All the new designs I've created over the last month in the CATALOG 1 folder

Two new wholecloth designs complete with directions and tips in the WHOLECLOTH folder

Two free patchwork projects that are great for stash busting and using up batting scraps in the FREE IS GOOD! folder

A free Statler pattern in the FREE IS GOOD! folder

A sales flyer in the SALE!SALE!SALE! folder ... and you might want to bookmark this link to have handy while you go through the sales ads.

And yes, I did have way too much fun creating my little valentine guy with AutoSketch.

HAPPY FEBRUARY!