Off to Indy-It's Retreat Time Again

It's that time for my Indiana Retreat.  Lots of catching up with old friends and lots of laughter.  A couple of the regulars won't be able to come this year and we will miss them.  We always take a charity quilt or purchased things to donate to a local agency, so this  year here are the two quilts I am taking.  I am still on track to make at least one charity quilt a month.  It makes me feel good to make them and I am using up stash.

One for a girl!

One for a boy!

I have been trying to settle into a brand new me after my job ended last year and I lost the three friends I talked about in the last post. The job ending was not totally unexpected, but was none the less a loss in my life. So I am still reinventing myself and moving forward. Here are some quilty things I am working on.

Dear Jane after a 10 plus year absence is back on my sewing table.  I already have the four center rows finished and am now starting back with the top row and doing 5 across.  When I get to the bottom I will be able to add to what I have finished then will start with the right half of the quilt.  I am enjoying the progress although it is slow.

Also, doing a Halloween BOM.  Here are months 1 and 2.  So far I am staying on track with these.  Only 9 months so I should have the top finished by Halloween.

This is 2 of the 4 blocks I have finished.  Since Blogger seems to be very slow at uploading my pictures at the moment I will have to save the other 2 for later.  Each month you make 2 houses with the same 6" block on the side. 

I am going on the Patchwork Express tomorrow, which involves a trip to Common Threads Quilt Shop.  It is a fantastic shop.  We get on a bus and travel to 6 other shops  on Saturday and Sunday.  Lunch and dinner are provided at the shops and since we always stop at a fried pie shop on the way we have everything we need for some heavy duty shopping.  This year I am going to stay focused and do more looking than buying.  Wish me luck.

Buying New Underwear

I bet that got your attention.  I was thinking of this time last year when I was getting ready for my trip to Australia and New Zealand and made the comment to Carole , my traveling buddy  that I needed to buy new clothes.  She said no just take the oldest things you have and leave them on the ship and throw the underwear away.  Buy new when you get home.  That way you have more room for treasures to bring home in your luggage.  The plan sounded good and I went with it, but our luggage was still overweight.  It was the trip of a lifetime and I have such good memories.  Little did I know that in September, Carole would be gone and so many of the memories we both laughed and talked about would be left for me alone to treasure.  Thank you Carole for all the fun and laughter that we shared.

The second person to leave last year was Kathy a quilting friend that I met on the internet.  I flew to Oregon, drove to Bend and stayed with 4 other quilters that I had never met before.  Kathy was one of those ladies.  After a few years, I wore her down and she invited me to come to California and go to Road to California show.  Kim flew in from Oregon and Kathy picked us up at the airport, drove us to quilt shops, fed us and entertained us.  We sat in her backyard and watched firewords at Disneyworld or is it Disneyland.  Doesn't matter we watched them.  She always went to the butchers and got us a special meatloaf blend and we had leftover sandwiches to take to the quilt show.  The last two times I went out it was to go to the Long Beach quilt show.  So many wonderful memories.  Thank you Kathy for all the great times.

 Kathy, Stephanie, Kim, Me

The first person that left was Laura , a quilter from a different yahoo group.  We met at the Indiana retreat I go to every year.  The last couple of years I roomed with her and was supposed to room with her this year, also.  It wasn't to be.  Such a sweet and funny person.  I can still hear her asking "is it just me or do you think that is creepy?"  We would all be laughing so hard we couldn't answer her.  She expressed not liking praying mantis' so of course she was inundated with them at one of the retreats.  The picture below is of her and Pepe.  Bless you Laura for all the memories and laughter we shared.

This post is not really about buying new underwear, but about the memories that come up from just the thought of buying new underwear.  It brings tears and laughter and hopefully will for many years to come.  I treasure all the friendship that these three have brought to my life.  I miss you all terribly.  Who knew that we didn't have more years to share.  So if you have stayed with me this long I want you all to know I treasure your frienship and your memories and your laughter.  May we all have many more years to share.

Happy New Year and go out and buy some new underwear.
Vickie

Excitement Grows

There should always be excitement in your life.  Many times you have to hunt for something to be excited about.  Sometimes it is just that the day is over and maybe a fresh start with a new day is all you've got.  Well, I have several new excitements.  Some of them I can't write about at the moment, but the one I can tell you about is connected to the Love Entwined link on the sidebar.  I love a new project and start too many.  The quilt that Ester Elieu has designed is going to be fabulous and I know I will enjoy the progress of it even it I don't get it made.  Take a look at her blog.

I'm Still Alive

I just took a look at my blog.  It is so sad, just sitting here with no new posts since last year.  So much has happened since then.  I've been to Australia and New Zealand.  Oh the experiences.  Had 2 wonderful people pass from my quilting life.  Laura a dear sweet girl that I met through an online group and got to see each year at the Indiana retreat.  Kathy a wonderful wife and mother who was about to retire from years of teaching.  I met her through quilting also and got to see her when I went to Sister's Quilt Show in Oregon or when I went to her home in California.  Both are missed very much.  I think of them often.

Lily is now 7 months old and Jake is 4 years old.  Both are doing great.  Of course they are the smartest and cutest grandkids anyone has ever had.

Will try to come back more often and post a few pictures.  It just takes time.

Easy Street Mystery

  Finished with Step 2 of Easy Street, Bonnie Hunter's new mystery. So far I am up to date. Hoping to stay that way, sine the final put together will probably not happen until I come back from Australia/New Zealand late in January.

Lily Jane Stipe has arrived

Just a short note to say Lily Jane Stipe arrived on October 21, 2012.  She weighed 8 lbs 9 ozs and her older brother Jake Robert Stipe loves her, of course this is only the first day after she got home.  Pictures to follow.