Headed to Mexico

It has been a crazy and hectic summer and I can't believe how the time has flown by. This is the week I leave for the orphanage in the Baja, Mexico. I have stuffed my suitcases with over 30 quilts (I lost count!) and it will be interesting checking in my bags as I won't be able to carry them very well. I have to leave my house at 3:15 am on Thursday morning for a 5:30 flight to San Diego. Then from there we will drive down to the orphanage (http://www.ffhm.org) I am really looking forward to my visit. I have gone to the Morelia, Mexico home before but have not been to the Baja mission yet. I have been making quilts for orphanages for the last four years and am really excited to be able to hand deliver the quilts myself this time. I hope to come back with lots of pictures to share with everyone. I was going to get a picture of my suitcases full but am afraid if I open them up they will explode. For some of the quilts I used those bags that you vacuum out the air. I really hope this is okay at the airport and they don't want to open those packages up as without a vacuum cleaner I would never be able to get the suitcases to close again.

For those of you that pray you could pray for my safe journey to and from Mexico. Flying is not one of my favorite things to do but I would not miss this opportunity just because I am nervous about flying.

I will post photos when I get back from my trip!

August 25, 2007

Here is a quilt that I completed for the Ukraine orphanages. I rec'd these blocks from others but I pieced and quilted the top. I have been really busy at work all summer long. Have been working 45 hrs a week on the average. I am hoping this changes once school starts. Things are settling down somewhat in the office.

I am going to an orphanage in Baja, Mexico in October for a few days. (http://www.ffhm.org) I am excited to to be going even if it is only for a short time.

July 19, 2007

The above quilt is one that was pieced by Beth and quilted by me. This quilt is headed to an orphanage in the Ukraine at the end of this year. I finished up about 4 of them before I left for my mission trip to Chicago last week. This week I have not been able to sew but am hoping I will get the motivation to hit the sewing room this weekend.


Here is the group that I went with on a mission trip to Uptown, Chicago last week. We had a very good trip and accomplished alot of service projects. My son also went with so it was nice to be on a mission trip with him and watch him serving God throughout the week.

I am headed to San Diego and Baja, Mexico in October. I booked the flight last night! I will be visiting an orphanage in the Baja. I have been to the location in Morelia for a week and am looking forward to visiting the Baja location. The orpanage is Foundation For His Ministry at http://www.ffhm.org/ I am hoping to bring a bunch of baby or lap size quilts with me for the nursery. It will be a short visit but I also get to visit with my sister while in San Diego.

Happy July everyone! Have not been quilting too much lately. But thought you might like to enjoy a picture of the fireworks we enjoyed on July 4th. I was playing with my digital camera and thought these pictures were cool. I did quilt last weekend and finished up the binding on three lap quilts for charity and then quilted one and pin basted another that is waiting its turn being quilted. I am headed out this Sunday for a week long mission trip with our church youth group. We are going to Chicago to work with a group there. Not really sure yet what we will be doing but that is okay. My son is also coming with so I am looking forward to being able to spend time with him. For the last five years we have been at Boy Scout camp during this week and this year we did not go. Actually he is ready to make Eagle Scout and probably will not be attending summer camp anymore. You know how it is when the kids get their drivers license and then they get a job.

Work has been crazy and this week is another week of overtime. The time off this next week will be nice. I am sure I will be working just as hard but it will be something different.

I will try to post some actual quilt pictures when I get back so be sure to check back!

New Job

I currently work at a bank that has been bought out and we just converted over all our systems last week to the new bank. What a week! I have been working overtime the last three weeks and I was only the PT teller. As of Friday I am now the Personal Banker! One of the ladies put in notice last Monday and I am now taking her place. I will now be full time with hours anywhere from 36 - 40 hours. We have not worked out all the specifics yet as we are still trying to figure out if hours are changing for everyone with the transition. Of course with a new bank and new policies we are having to change everything. This week I will be working as Personal Banker with the gal that is leaving training me in plus helping out the teller line if needed. If last week was any indication I may be Personal Banker on my own as we have been very busy. That is normal for summer but the timing is not the best for all this transition stuff. I have not been quilting much in the last month as I have been working so much. I am going to have to figure out a new schedule for my life so that I can make time for my quilting time. I am sad to see my extra hours at the sewing machine dwindle but I am happy about my new position. I was a stay at home Mom for about 10 years and am now ready to get back into the career role. My youngest is going into third grade this year.

June 17, 2007

Here are a few more quilts for Mexico. These are just cheater panels but I know the babies won't care. I am now ready to pack up a box and send the quilts onto Mexico. I am able to mail them to the headquarters in Southern CA and they have a truck that goes down weekly. Much less expensive for me that way. I would never be able to ship international. I think I will be trying to fit 30 quilts into the box. Don't know if the box I have is big enough but I am going to vacuum out the air in a bag and hope the box does not explode while in transit. The next few weeks are going to be crazy at work so I have not been working very hard this weekend. I did manage to machine quilt three more tops for my Ukraine project. Have not completed the bindings yet.

Summer is here!

Summer vacation is finally here! The kids last day of school was last thursday. My 16yr got his first job and started last Friday. The called him on Thursday evening! So now I have had to scramble to make arrangements for my youngest for child care while I am at work. This week he will be going to summer school in the morning and then go to one of my friends house to be babysat by her daughter. We will be figuring this out week by week as we progress! My job is pretty hectic right now as we are in transition being bought out by another bank. Alot of training is going on and being a small branch that means I am working extra hours. The timing is not the greatest but not much I can do about it. I am hoping to get another position in the office if things go as planned. I have not quilted all this week but do have a quilt sandwiched and ready to go. I am working on the Ukraine quilts right now. Then I think I will be working on some more baby quilts for Mexico to take with me in October when I go out there for a few days. I am getting excited about going but do not want to wish summer gone just yet!

Heartstring baby quilt

Here is a picture of the heartstrings quilt( http://www.heartstrings.blogspot.com )I finished for Mexico. I have tons of 2.5" strips and have just gone through my fabric closet and pulled out more fabrics to cut into strips. I could be sewing these quilts all summer long! I am sure I will have to put some variety into the mix. Right now I am quilting some of the tops for the Ukraine. Work is going to be busier in the next month as the bank I work for is being bought by a bigger bank and I will be working more hours so everyone can be trained before the actual transition the end of June. I am looking at going to the orphanage in Mexico (http://www.ffhm.org) in October. Don't have all the details worked out but checking out all my options. It will be fun to hand deliver all the quilts I have for them! As of right now I have 29 quilts finished and with the quilt pictured that will make it 30.

Question on a How to?

I have been reading alot of blogs lately and I was wondering how you are able to get words crossed out with a line through them . Could someone please show me how to do this?
Is is something on the keyboard? Enquiring minds want to know!

Thanks!

Time Flies!

Well time sure does fly! I can't believe it has been ten days and I have no pictures to share for quilting finishes. I do have three baby quilts in the dryer but these were just panel quilts that I have had sitting around here waiting to be quilted for Mexico. Don't have pictures yet even though they would be boring.

We are selling all our animals and have sold one horse and took two cows to market this week. We have one horse left along with two calves that will be ready for market in the fall.

We are headed out of town this weekend to visit family. Have to take advantage of my three day weekends when they happen. I have been working extra hours at work as our bank is being purchased by a bigger bank and we are all in training to be ready for "transition day" on June 23rd.

Hope to be able to post something very soon!