Shop hop

I have managed to successfully stimulate the economy on the days I had free to go shop hopping. I was able to find the perfect fabric to make plant stakes for my Farmer’s Market block. I even found a great fabric for corner squares on the outside border. There are only three more months left to go and then this quilt will be ready to quilt.

Then I ran across the cutest kitty fabric and wouldn't you know it I was shown a great pattern and Sam feel in love with it. I decided with all of my quilt tops that need quilting that a few stencils may help me get them finished. I even picked up one for Kitty Cucumber.















My charm addiction seems to be getting worse but there are just way to many gorgous new lines to leave them on the shelfs.

The great thing is I brought everything home and it is now neatly organized.

Over the next week I'll share pictures of my other three neatly organized tots that have all of my great finds from various Nebraska quilt stores.

Time in a bottle

Before and After
Boy I sure wished I could have extra time. This last five weeks I have found myself coming and going. I have been so busy that this is how my sewing room became to look like.

Before and After










I spent hours yesterday just cleaning and organizing everything into neat storage areas. Then I went shop hopping with a friend today and of course now I have even more that needs organized and neatly put away. Once I got it straightened up I was able to finish the round-robin blocks and some other blocks do for my guild that we have been making for months now. I had volunteered to sew this batch together.

With working 3 part-time, to part-part-time jobs and full-time school I have managed to get so far behind. I just finished my class on Monday and have decided to take a full month off from school to allow myself a chance to catch up and have time to do some very much needed sewing (stress therapy).

This break from school will allow me to concentate on my family, and allow my husband the extra time while finishing his last semester of school. After his graduation in May we will have another change in life, him back to work for the first time since his back injury, making him disabled. So life agian is going to take another turn and we are worried what it might be but for now we concentrate on the immediate and know that it will work out.

I secretly hope that he finds a job and then I can take over being the parent at home.

Anyway I'll post soon some of my great shop hop purchases. And maybe with any luck I'll be able to spend more time blogging.

Thanks for stopping and have Quilty Dreams
~Tamara~

Class with Mark

First let me say that even though I had to get up by 6 in the morning (yeah I know it's not that early, I just don't do mornings) it was well worth it. To meet Mark Lipinksi in all his true colors just made my year. Mark has such a wonderful way of making everybody feel like somebody. So saturday morning I'm sitting in the class were we will be making a Katmandu bag using why of course Katmandu fabric. Of course I have nothing to show for the whole time I was there because embellishment takes time and we had more fun learning than actually working. Well there were a few ladies who got somewhere, but these bags will take a while to complete. This first picture is of Mark talking. As you can tell we were all paying attention. This next picture is of course me with Mark and his funny idea of hiding behind our pattern for the bag. I have several pictures of the class but they really are of a boring nature. And yes I have pictures of the embelleshed items, and the bag, but feel those really are not me to share because they belong to Mark. But I will post pictures of my Katmandu bag as it transforms throughout I hope the next few months and not years.

I still am feeling quite star struck, just like my little girl did when she got to see Jackson off of Hanna Montana last weekend. Her jaw dropped and she just starred with stars in her eyes.

Happy Easter

And the tomb was found empty for He was no longer there. Hallelujah
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" John 20:1-2 NIV

Life update

Were does one even begin to start. Hum I just finished a class on Monday, then started the next class on Tuesday. It has been tough trying to juggle everything at the same time keeping up with my studies so my GPA does not suffer. And as my blog is evidence of I am human and cannot do everything. Other than sewing at work the only personal sewing I have done lately is the March block for Farmer's Market. I have managed though to pick up all the kits for "Let there be Chocolate." This was done as a block of the month at the shop, but I had decided to pass, but with working there I just could not pass it up any longer.

On the family front my son is starting to settle into life being back at home Finally. I have also taken on hopefully a life changing adventure that hopefully will secure my families finances for the long haul instead of just living pay check to pay check. The great thing about this new adventure is I get to help other families find their way out of debt and provide stability for their futures too. This adventure though requires taking and Passing the states life insurance test. So yep I am burning the candel at more than two ends. But I do know that the rewards later will be well worth the lack of sleep. My main concern is making sure that my families needs are still being meet no matter how busy I am.

What can get all five cats in one place at the same time with out a fight? The tuna juice that was drained when I made Tuna casserole the other night. Clockwise from the top right the cats are Reese, Smokie, Sadie, Nelly, and Butterscotch. Butterscotch turns 16 this year, talk about an old cat.

You Make My Day Award!

I received this award yesterday from Rhonda. Thanks Rhonda for Making my Day by giving me this award.

The rules for the "You Make My Day" award, are to re-present it to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blogland. Let them know through an email or posting to their blog so they can pass it on. You may get the award more than once, so if you do, consider yourself very loved! So pass it on!!! In no particular order is my list of ten Who Make my Day!!!

Bren

Mary Anne
Kim

Quilting Mama

May Britt

Darlene

Wendy

Jodi

Anne Ida
Hanne

Winners and everything else

Sorry for the delay in announcing the winners. School has taken a toll on me this last week. But then Senior classes are to be tough. Yes I'm finally on my last year, Yeah!!!!!

Ok. I had rounded up the drawing committee, put the names in for the cats (Spread out on table). Ok the picture the names are under him, but he was faster then my camera or finger could take the picture.

The Frida won a special surprise, and from reading May Britt’s blog lately she could use a little pampering.

Then Smokie picked from the humans papers and the winner is Rhonda. I know it was not extremely scientific, but hey what ever works right. Luckily I got the paper away before he ate it and then I'd not know who won.

So if the lucky winners will email me their address I will try to get things mailed off soon.

Yesterday after I got my assignment turned in a finished a quilt top that was started in September 2004 from the Thimbleberries club. I had decided I best get this all put together before I accidently use the fabric on some other project.



Then today I decided to take my whole lunch hour and go to the quilt store. The top left coffee fabric I think will be a throw pillow, the upper right is for a late valentine swap with my local quilt guilds and the center fabric is for this pattern.

It is so nice to hear from everyone! Comments always welcome!