Sunrise

This is a picture out my bedroom window looking to the east. My window faces south but standing at an angle I can see to the east. I thought this view was nice this particular morning. Not much quilting getting done at my place. I have a few more days off until school starts but will be gone Friday evening into Saturday afternoon. I did start working on a top with some blocks from the Sunshine guild that I still have to finish putting together. I have the rows done and just need to sew them together. I think I need to start getting realistic and try to make blocks only. I need to start thinking smaller, I guess. I do have Friday off during the day and I think maybe this will be my goal for tomorrow, to get some tops together and to sort through what I have in my sewing room to get forwarded on to someone that will be able to finish them up and get them to the kids! They are not doing any good sitting in my sewing room. Well off to work for today!

Short term Mission Trip

I am going to the orphanage in Morelia, Mexico in February. The last time I was there was in summer of 2005. I have been looking for the opportunity to go back ever since. I visited the orphanage in the Baja in Oct. of 2007 but it was not the same as being in Morelia. They have about 30 kids currently. They have added an addition that is just about complete. I believe one of the goals is to decorate the finished areas to get ready for them to be used. It is going to be hectic with school and work but I am so looking forward to going for a week. The dates are Feb. 7 - 14th. I am not sure which airlines we are flying out on yet so I don't know how many bags I can take with me. My initial plan is to collect twin size sheet sets to bring with me as they always have a need for sheets. I guess the quality of sheets in Mexico is not as good as ours here in the USA. I also think I am going to make some chocolate chip cookies to take with me. They don't bake much in Mexico so the kids will really enjoy homemade cookies. Last time we went down we baked them there but the ingredients are different in Mexico so they did not turn out as good as when I make them at home. (I have a really good recipe for chocolate chip cookies)

Christmas Greetings

Thought I would share some Christmas wishes through my son's Christmas Concert.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my readers! I finished up my semester at school and am currently enjoying my break until January 12th when I will start up once more. I was hoping to get some quilting done during this break but of course have been preparing for Christmas. We are unexpectedly traveling about 6 hours away to be with family. This will be a good thing but takes away time from the sewing room. I have been trying to get some prayer shawls knitted so now I will have plenty of time for working on those. I am enjoying the knitting lately as I can relax on the couch or with family and knit away.

I pray that everyone stays safe during the holiday's if you are traveling!
God Bless!

Quilts to the Ukraine

A picture is posted at http://www.fireleann.blogspot.com/ of the quilts that the Sunshine Quilt Guild helped me make to send to my missionary friend in the Ukraine. Check out her blog for pictures of the kids with the quilts and also the kids with clothing that was donated from about 4 of our local churches. Don't know if we will be able to do that again this winter but I would really like to if possible.

Some quilting done

Managed to squeeze in some quilting a few weekends ago. (took me this long to get the pictures done!) The top quilt was pieced by my coworker with some of my flannel strings and I finished it up. I have quite a few quilt tops like these waiting to be quilted. Next is a top done by a Carol E. from the Sunshine quilt guild. The third is more strings and then last blocks from a Sunshine block challenge I hosted last winter. I still have more of these blocks to get sewn into tops. Hopefully this winter I can manage to squeeze in some more quilting time in between classes. All of the quilts are going to WAS which is for kids overseas who get cleft lip/palette surgery.

Ukraine orphanage clothes

I received word that the clothes were handed out to the children at the Ukraine orphanage. We sent 11 boxes of clothing and quilts to Leann serving as a missionary in the Ukraine. She has listed pictures on her blog at http://www.fireleann.blogspot.com. You can see the kids with their new duds!

I have had a few minutes of quilting since class started the end of August. I did finish quilting a charity quilt and now have 4 quilts waiting for the binding to be completed. When I am not doing homework and taking care of family I am sometimes too exhausted to think about sewing.

I have registered for Spring semester starting in January and now that it is winter I may be able to find some time for sewing but we will have to see how it goes.

School started

Well, school has started for me. I have been busy this week with school work. I have two online classes. American Government and Politics and Interpersonal Communications. It is not easy taking online classes. You spend just as much time working on the computer as you would be in class. I already have to write a paper for communications this week with a group (not easy doing this online!) and also next week one by myself for communications and another for American Government. One of my writing projects for communications is blogging! As fellow bloggers you all know that I have experience in blogging! I just have to blog on specifics and not just random thoughts like this blog!

I got some sewing done last week before school started. I don't think I will be sewing much if my schedule is going to be this hectic with classes and working. Well I just have to keep my goals in front of me and remember that it will be all worth it in the end!

Non-Quilty

It has been a wild summer of no quilting. I have lots to get done here but decided I needed to enjoy the summer with my family for the most part. Also in the last two months or so I have been researching going back to school. I believe I have finally narrowed it down as to where I will be going and what degree I am pursuing. As of right now, Monday I should be registering for a few classes at a local Communtiy College where I believe I will be finishing up my AA degree and then I will transfer to a four year college to finish up a bachelor's degree in Social Work. I know it will be a tough schedule but I believe I am up for the challenge. I just know that I need to do something to move forward at this point. I am sure it will take me longer than the typical four years but I am looking at accelerated learning options to move it along faster. I am excited about going back to school as I really enjoy the learning process! School starts next week for my online classes I am registering for and my kids go back after labor day so maybe once we settle into our routine again I can squeeze in some sewing time. I have blocks waiting for me to turn into quilt tops for Wrap a Smile and Wrap Them in Love.

Heartstrings quilts.....

Ishowed a quilt picture to one of my co-workers using 2.5" strings and she really liked it and decided she wanted to help me by making some quilts for the orphanages. She has since given me 10 quilt tops for me to finish and send on. I provided her with some of my strings and the foundation fabric and she sewed the tops together. I have quilted four of them and that is these. Two of them are in flannels. She really liked working on the flannel quilts. Flannel is not my favorite to work with but these will make really warm quilts for some child in a cold place.!