i am dusky

King of all I survey.

i have so much to tell

It's so weird. Either I have nothing to write about or no time to write about it.
My LQS started a Jo Morton's club. I have always loved Jo's little quilts and wanted to do the club, but it has never been convenient. This one meets the third Thursday of every month at 6:30. My LQS is right on my way home and stopping for a quick bite makes the timing absolutely perfect. It's been so long since I have had time to do something fun for myself I am so excited. This is the beginning of our first project. It is so tiny I didn't think I was going to be able to finish before the meeting next month, but once I got started I just wanted to finish. This is going to be a medallion in a 12" x 12" quilt.
A couple years ago I read an idea about a way to make Christmas less stressful. Every month on the 25th of the month use the day as a crafting day to get projects done for gifts for that year. By the time Christmas comes around you will have a good start on your gifts. I work, so I had to modify the plan to shoot for the weekend closest to the 25th. This past weekend was it. I made a list ;-) I finished a scarf I had started after Christmas and knit up a pair of slippers. They just need to be felted and I can add them to my OPAM finishes. I would have gotten more done, but I got hung up with the embroidering the ladies.

January is shaping up to be a good finish month.

she loved it...

and my first OPAM project for 2010.

I was a little behind on my Christmas crafting and with DD's surprise visit I didn't have time to get together with April for our Christmas lunch until today. This year was really hard for me to keep secret about what I was making. April had gotten some knitting needles from her mom for Christmas and she was asking me how I thought she could store them. I was in the process of making her this needle case and I didn't want to let on. I was trying to think of advice I could give without it being too good so she wouldn't go out and buy something. She finally decided to put them back in their packaging and she was going to make some drawstring bags for each type of needle. I figured she could use drawstring bags for something else so no harm no foul. Well she hadn't gotten to the bags anyway and she was thrilled with my solution. She took these pictures for me after she got home and filled it with needles. Luckily I have most of the same ones so I was able to tailor it to the needles she has.

Project number one in the done column for January.

April gave me some beautiful yarn lace yarn with a pattern and knitting bag and basket. She also found the most adorable little lamb for my feather tree. I try to find ornaments that aren't seasonal for my tree so I can keep it up all the time. The lamb is perfect. (When I looked at this picture I noticed that I really need to dust my poor tree.)

the hurrieder i go the behinder i get

That's just the way my life is going. I just cannot seem to get on track. I am always behind and it seems I just get further and further. To all of my friends I owe emails.... I haven't forgotten and I will write back. I will also try to post here more often. I also have to clean this house at some point. DH really does a lot around the house and with him gone I am having a hard time keeping up. The way I figure it at some point things just have to level out.

I have sent thank you notes, but I haven't yet posted my final gift from the Advent Swap I was involved in. It was great fun and if it comes along next year I am signing up again. In the meantime April and I have decided to do one of our own. I already have a list of ideas of things to make and do and 2 gifts started. My final gift was this nice tote bag with a sewing theme. Thank you Jenny.

I haven't posted my SSCS either. I have been doing this swap since Chookyblue started it. She runs a great swap. Thanks Chooky. My swap came from Christine this year. This is an adorable little wall hanging with beautiful little stitcheries. The bon bon was filled with yummy chocolate. That did not last long at all.

I got a great surprise on New Year's day. DD surprised me with a trip home. I tried to get a picture of her to post, but she wouldn't let me. We had a nice visit, but not long enough as usual. She didn't let me know she was coming either and I had just taken 2 weeks off from work so I couldn't take more time.

On my way home from work on Thursday I was in ANOTHER accident. I was yielding and the car behind me didn't. I am starting to get a serious complex. People must see the spare tire on the back of my CRV as a target. I felt the hit, but when we got out and looked there didn't appear to be any damage to my car. This seemed unlikely since the grill was smashed and the hood was crumpled on the car that hit me. Yesterday DS took the spare off and there are some pretty good dents in the panel behind the tire. It is going to have to be replaced. I'm going to make an appointment with the body shop tomorrow to get an estimate. See why I am behind? I can't seem to catch a break. I bet no one wonders why I hate to drive. My count is now at 5 and none my fault. Does anyone else feel like that is a lot?