What's New?

I can't believe that it has been so long since I posted. I have taken on the responsibility of serving as president of our Condo Board. We live in a villa style condo, and there are 126 units. We are rewriting the bylaws as well as dealing with the day to day issues of a complex such as ours. I figure I spend 10 hours a week on the volunteer position, and that time used to be sewing time...So now working full time, along with this other commitment has severely cut into any time I had to myself. It has been a really interesting experience and has made me tougher, but I miss my "time".

Not that I haven't done anything in the sewing room.

This has now been quilted, the binding added, and is just waiting for the binding to be tacked on the back of the table runner.

My cutting station is a hive of activity.

This is becoming this:

I have always been pretty good with time management and now I have to be even better. I take time to myself when I can even if it is only 15 minutes in the morning before I go to work. Going into my sewing room- that is one of the things that makes me happy.

Now I'm Happy!

I couldn't stand it anymore. I've moved my sewing room back upstairs into a beautiful sunny room, and I couldn't be happier! I am very lucky to have this room, and don't know why I had the need to move downstairs a few months ago. I was worried that this is the first room you see when you enter our home and come down the hallway, but now I think, whatever!! I can shut the door when we have guests.

I have my little reading alcove where I can also do some handsewing. I see out the window and watch TV here.

This extra desk is for cutting or for my card making/scrapbooking. In the box underneath is fabric I have listed in Kijiji. I decided after moving some things over the years from 3 homes, that if I haven't used it by now, I never will. Time to get rid of it find it a new home.

I've even got a few treasures up on the wall, and some of my angel collection set up, so it is looking like 'home".

I feel my creativity coming back, and can't wait to get back at it.

Have a great week!

Snow Day

I think if this were a school day, the kids might be off today. This is what we woke up to this morning:

It was very windy and so it doesn't look deep in some areas, but when I walked Chloe it was halfway to my knees. It is also cold as our frozen storm door attests.

So what is a girl to do on a day like this???

Maybe some of this:

Or some of this:

I also plan or doing some reading as I've got Stephen King's newest downloaded in my Kindle app on my iPad, and a "real" book by Michael Connelly (one of my favorite authors) sitting waiting for me to pick up. And best of all, leftovers for dinner, so no cooking.

My dream day! 

Random Thoughts and Musings

Some things never change...sleeping dogs....

Messy yet organized sewing spaces....

2011 was not a great year for me. I have battled some depression and work related issues, and am hoping some things DO change....and that 2012 will be a year of change and good things. The optimist in me says "things can only get better" and the pessimist says "yah, but when?" I don't make resolutions, but I believe in goals, and one goal I set for myself is to be up for the challenge of a brand new year. So here we go!

We brought in the New Year together at home catching up on Boardwalk Empire episodes, but we had dinner with 6 friends and ended up with these leftovers. Yum! Guess we are having Chinese again tonight!

That is it for the musings, and here is my random thought...

Why, you say, would she show a picture of dog poop on a paper napkin? Well actually it is a peaunut butter macaroon, and it is frozen. My favorite! And did you know frozen Christmas baking has no calories?  A well known fact...

Happy New Year to you and yours!

Chloe's Play Date

Chloe has a play date, but doesn't quite get it.

This is Maggie. She seems to have taken over Chloe's job- begging for food, and cuddling with Tony.

This is Chloe being needy and jealous. She has been on top of me since Maggie came over this morning. They really don't pay attention to each other, and neither has had a nap all morning, so they'll be tired tonight. Maggie will be with us for the day, so maybe they'll socialize some as the day progresses...

Have a wonderful weekend!

Day Off

What do you do when you have a day off work? Right now until the New Year I am off every Wednesday, and this is pretty much how I try to spend my day. Catching up on my reading...

Look at those sandles and socks...no wonder Tony calls me his sexy quilter!!! Of course I also had on my black fleece jacket that is covered in threads...

Thinking about making another wreath. Thinking was the operative word with this today.

 Started cutting out a new project.

Pressing some strips for a WIP- my scrap project, Whirligig.

And working on about 3 other projects on the go, including a queen size quilt for my son, and putting the flimsy together on Stella Blue.

All in all a good day- not a lot done, but at the same time I feel like I accomplished a lot. And I even made dinner...

Snowy Sunday

We headed into Calgary last night to attend a fundraiser. Tony's cousin and her husband adopted 2 girls from Haiti about 12 years ago, and have become very involved with providing clean water for Haitians. So we drove through a snowstorm to get there, and had a very nice evening. Saw cousins and spouses that we don't see often, and walked out 12 bottles of wine richer. The deal was for everyone to bring a bottle of wine and then be entered to win 12. Five or six couples won 12 bottles! We got a mixed bag of wines, 4 whites and 8 reds, and quality ranging from "quaffing" to "special".

We are set for the Christmas season now!

I have most of my Christmas decorations up, and love the warmth it gives the house. I have mentioned in previous years that I collect Santas, and generally add to the collection every year. This year there is no new one yet... but over the next few weeks there will be.

This is a guy added to the collection a couple of years ago. I used to put him outside but he kept blowing over, so now he has a special corner and greets our guests as they come in the front door.

This is a bad angle picture of my mantle... oh well. Looks much fuller than the picture would indicate and the santas are bigger than the picture would indicate...I have never professed to be a photographer...
good thing, too!

This is our day here today- and it is still coming down.

So I plan on designing my Christmas cards. I love red and purple for Christmas, so am going with that theme this year. I have an idea in mind, so hopefully the idea and the reality mesh. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.

Hope your Sunday is a good one!