A Happy Christmas!

Christmas this year has been a little different.  I wanted to stay ahead of the Fibromyalgia Monster so I decided to not decorate the house.  Surprisingly, I didn't even feel guilty about it.  In order to keep this post in the holiday spirit I will share with you a picture of our tree from last year!

It's a little out of the ordinary too, I know, but I kinda like to fit life into my own mold!

We celebrated Christmas at Adam and Brandy's house a few days early and had a wonderful time.  The food was delicious, the company delightful, and the grands were really excited about their gifts.  

Technology ruled the day.  Noah loved his super-duper headphones....

.....and Gavin and Aidan were surprised with their iPad mini's.  

Six and a half year old Aidan exclaimed, "You have GOT to be kidding me!" when he realized what it was.  By the end of the evening he was snapping pics with it and emailing them to us!  I woke up the next morning to a text message from him asking me if I wanted to Face Time with him!  

We got to open presents, too!  

This iArm that Adam and Brandy gave to Hubby was the best present of the day!  Too funny!!

Even though this Christmas was unlike other years, the best part of it was unchanged -- focusing on and spending time with people we love.

Normally I don't make any gifts for Christmas.  I find it much too stressful.  Besides that, when I do make a gift for someone, I just can't wait that long to give it to them!  This year I did make several things (probably because I saved so much time by not decorating!)  I'll show you those next time.  In the meantime, if you want to see the rest of our Christmas photos you can find them here on my Flickr page.

Retreat Report - Final Notes

Many of the quilters wore their quilty tattoos for the week and a few of them had their husbands wondering when they got home!  

I didn't get much sewing done during the week (I was pooped after the my marathon sewing day on my Black & White challenge.)  

Rose Mary and I had agreed ahead of time that we would work on the "Tropical Breeze" pattern using the same line of fabrics.  She started on hers the day I was sewing on my B&W, so I should have been fore-warned with all the muttering and complaining I heard coming from behind me.  I (fearlessly) started working on mine and ended up having this guy show up at my machine.  (That's what happens when someone notices that you have to "RIP IT!")  After watching for someone else to pass it along to, I ripped very discreetly after that!  

I did manage to get some of the center parts of the blocks made, but I eventually gave up, too, deciding to work on it at home instead.  Besides, I didn't want to miss anything that was going on!


It was wonderful to have two massage therapists lined up to help out with those tense muscles that come from sewing too long.

Of course, the years that Becky can't make it to retreat, her sister makes sure she is there in spirit, as well as in Barbie form, and SHE had to have a massage, too!

We had a lot of really great Show and Tell throughout the week.  Here are just a few...

I had such a sweet Secret Quilter who spoiled me with all these gifts.

I came home with 27 adorable pillowcases to donate to Children's Hospital in St. Louis.  This is a very generous group of quilters participating in all kinds of different charities, so I am grateful to them for helping me out with one of my favorites.

That pretty much sums up our week.  I hope you have enjoyed reading about it as much as I have enjoyed sharing it.  If you STILL haven't seen enough photos, or you want to see more of Show and Tell, you can see them on My Flickr page.

Retreat Report

It doesn't seem possible that three weeks have passed since I was packing up the car and heading to St. Louis for our annual Clara's Quilting Cottage Retreat.      It was so great to be able to spend some time with these lovely ladies, most of whom I met online over the last ten years or so. 


It's been difficult to break down the 300+ photos I took and decide which of them to share with you, but here goes!  We were asked to wear animal prints on Welcome Night as a special salute to Faye who loves all things leopard (and giraffe, and zebra, and snakeskin and............ Well, you get the idea!)  












Debbie really got into the spirit with her pedicure!

Rilla came to Retreat prepared to "deal with it!"

Julie came prepared for.......well.......I'm not sure what!

It was great to see my roommate, Faye, again.  We have been roomies since 2005 except for last year when she chose going to her daughter's wedding over quilting with us!   I know, Right?? She gave me these awesome gifts!  Don't you love the purse she made for me?

Show and Tell involved some great quilts and also some great stories.       Like Gayle's.......

.......and Eve's.

Some of the gals played "strip poker" with Julie again this year, and she won ALL the fabric strips, as usual.  They should know better by now.

In addition to all the fun and shenanigans, some did actually sew!

Faye made a great start on her "Swoon" quilt.  You can read more about it HERE.

Next time -- the Black and White and One Other Color Challenge and some of MY sewing!