It's Friday!

Have another busy weekend coming up. I am teaching the Petalicious Tablerunner class tomorrow. Then my sister and her husband are coming down to spend the day with us. So I get some one on one bonding time! They are staying at my parents' house in Earling. They will be here until after Mother's Day, so are getting in all the visiting they can.

 School has been hectic too, just trying to learn the new program and get things done. I have to start inventory soon, too. Haven't gotten much sewing done in the past few weeks, but summer break is coming and I am ready for it! I have lots of ideas for new quilts so will be nice to have the time to work on them.

I did make another Peas in a Pod quilt recently. This one is a little bigger than the other one. I had this orangey dotty fabric so thought the piano key border would be cute with just those 2 fabrics.
Off to work....it's Friday....it's Friday.....just keep thinkin' it...

EQ 7 coming in June!

What's coming in June?  EQ7,  that's what! I had no idea they were coming out with a new version,  just heard about it the other day. Sounds like there are more quilt blocks  than ever, the ability to download digital pictures directly into it, upgrading available from EQ6 to EQ7 and many more features.

I love using EQ6. Many of you know that I create a lot of my patterns using EQ6. After I come up with a design, make it in the colors and fabrics I wish, I can then use the graphics in my own patterns. I love this feature, as it makes quilt patterns so much easier to follow. I started out with EQ4 and moved up to EQ6 so will be excited to see just exactly what 7 can do.
Do you have any of the EQ products? What would you do to get EQ7?

60th Anniversary Party

I had a busy weekend with my daughter and husband coming to town, and my parent's 60th Anniv. Party. Angie and Colin came in Thursday night. We had a party Friday night for her and some of her friends at my youngest daughter's house, where they are staying. Saturday we spent all day in Earling having formal pictures taken and just hanging out with family all day. We had dinner that night, with all of us "toasting" them with a memory. It was so much fun. Our whole family was able to come, and with 6 children, 16 grandchildren,  and 5 great-grandchildren, and assorted spouses, boyfriends and girlfriends we had about 45 people there. Of course by the end we were singing karaoke and having a great time. Most of us stayed overnight and had brunch before we started all going our separate ways. In the picture above I'm the one to the right of mom &  we didn't have the "little girls" yet. I think it was taken in 1959.

This is us now. We are so lucky that they are in good health and able to live an active (for 80 yr. olds) lifestyle. If you are on facebook I posted more pictures there as well.

I spent part of the day with my daughters and Colin. We walked over the pedestrian bridge then went to the Old Market to eat at Spagetti Works. After that we walked around the Old Market for a bit. They are coming here for supper tomorrow night and then flying home Wednesday morning.

Lone Star

The ladies made some good progress on their lone stars. Cathy and proud son are posing with hers in front of her. She used batiks...it will be gorgeous.

Dianne was working away at hers, adding each new diamond to the design wall, so I was waiting for her to finish her last one before taking a picture and guess what? I didn't get one of hers alone. But you can see hers BEHIND Cathy on the wall. Very bright and pretty.

 Carol's is more muted colors, but just as pretty. It is so much fun to see how each person's color choices work out.

I didn't get pictures of the other 2 ladies quilts as one left early and the other couldn't come yesterday because of illness. But everyone assures me they will come back to show me when finished.

I plan on doing some sewing today. Haven't been sewing as much lately because sometimes it bothers my back to sit for long periods of time but will give it a try today. My back is much better now, but still a little iffy at times. I have been talking with the people at physical therapy about what I can do to keep this from happening again and again.  I have also been trying to clean, not as much fun, but much needed around here.

Giveaway and vote! Actually got something finished!

I finished quilting a Circle and Spin quilt today that a lady made in one of my classes. I like this curvy/wavy type panto for this quilt.

You can see the design much better on the back. Today is the last day to vote for your favorite circle quilt (my Circle and Spin is entered!) at Quilting Blogger, but my giveaway for the Circle and Spin pattern will continue until Tuesday, April 13. So comment about a circle quilt you have done, or a circle quilt you might do or just something about quilting.

Enter a giveaway and vote for your favorite circle quilt!

Voting began today for the contest at Quilting Bloggers. The theme this week is circle quilts and I have entered my Circle and Spin quilt! Some of you have seen it before as I designed it &  have taught classes on it at several locations. It is fun and easy to do. I have decided to give away a copy of this pattern to one lucky winner. Just leave me a comment about circle quilts or whatever else you want to talk about to be entered in the giveaway. Then go vote for your favorite quilt...and if it happens to be mine, that would be awesome!

Another day, another daughter

I worked on more receiving blankets last night, and didn't take pix again. They are for another teacher at school whose wife is expecting soon. I took them today as I have an all day training tomorrow on the new library software outside the building, so won't be attending the shower tomorrow.

Today is my oldest daughter's birthday...Here she is when she was about 3. I always tease her that today is MY anniversary...the anniversary of the day I became a mother. She is in Seattle, so I won't see her, but she will be coming the end of the month to the celebration of my folk's 60th anniversary. We will have our whole family together for the first time in many years as the ones who live far away don't usually end up visiting at the same time. 

I want to quilt a little more tonight on the quilt I started the other day.

Monday it is.....back to school tomorrow...

I worked on cleaning my wood floors today. They get so dingy over the winter. Then I quilted some more on the quilt I started Saturday. It's over half done. No picture yet.

I also entered the Circle and Spin quilt in this week's themed contest at Bloggers Quilt Gallery. The theme this week is Circles. How it works is she has a different theme each week. You have until Thursday to enter, then people can go and vote from Friday until Sunday. She announces the winners on Monday morning. There have been some really nice quilts so far. Should be fun to enter and maybe I will even win!

Long weekend....

It has been a busy, crazy week. No new pictures to share, so I thought I would post this one of my daughters and me, a long time ago. The toddler in the picture is 28 now, so yea, it's been awhile ago.  We've been going through old pictures to put on a dvd for my folk's 60th anniversary...my niece is making it for us....and it's been fun!

I worked on some receiving blankets for gifts one night, but forgot to take pictures of them. I have also been having back problems for the past 2 weeks, so have been going to physical therapy. My sacroiliac joint is out, or off, or something that happens when it doesn't all line up like it is supposed to.  It is better, but still sore. Keeping moving helps it, not hurts it, so that is good in my job!

The school district is installing a new library software program for us (Follett Destiny) so there have been some things I had to do to get ready for that, too, this week. Plus we won't be able to enter any new books into the system until it is completed, which could be several weeks, so I have been trying to get as many of my new books in the computer, with cataloging, as I could before yesterday. Doing this in between kids, I didn't get as much done as I would've liked, but it will wait.  Then we go 2 days without any software, but checking out books anyway (yea, I am nervous about that) and have a full day of training on Thursday next week. Not sure why they didn't just let us close for 3 days, (believe me, I have enough work sitting there to keep me busy for several weeks) and then start up right, but I guess this way will be more exciting!

I am off til Tuesday so hope to get some quilting & cleaning done. Notice which one is first.