Trying something new for me.

Pepper is just waiting for the shower stall to be clear.

Went to a banquet for Pride of the Prairie Quilt Guild.
Love these button trees we all got to take home.

Hancock's of Paducah.

Another state down.

Now how is that for the true Chocolate lover?


I am on my way to another quilt cruise.
  But first let me catch you up on a couple of things.

The kitties are now 6 months old, and absolutely adorable.
As I said before, we have never had kitten, so watching their antics is so
much fun.  We have the two "Spice Girls"  Pepper and Cinnamon.
They are water babies.  They sit outside our walk in shower in the evening,
while I take my shower.  As soon as I am out, they run in. They come to bed with wet paws
and fur, as they have been playing and drinking the shower water. Silly girls.


In January Pride of the Prairie had their Christmas party.
What a lovely time we had.  The food was delicious, and the games fun, and
I think everyone came away with a little gift bag of goodies, a door prize, and
one of the cutest button trees ever.  A great time was had by all.

I did manage to get 3 quilt backs ready for three quilt, Dah! that I sent
to be quilted!!  Yea for me.  Also got the blocks done for another quilt that
I can put together in March when I get home.
 
I also have been cleaning and clearing my sewing space.
It was time.  I have organized a lot of projects, and put them in their own
boxes. I made of list of UFO's I want to get finished.  Way too many in
progress.  Each time I go on a quilt retreat this year, a project is going with me that
needs to be worked on, with the hope that it will get done, or at least a lot of progress
is made.  Also, made up a basket of things that I can pick up and take with me
when I am on the road.  All handwork.  As I finish up some things, I will have others to add to
the basket.  It feels good to have gone through so many books, patterns, and stuff.
I am donating a lot of things to other quilters.
I can't possibly finish up everything that is in progress.  At least  now I can put
priorities on them.

On Tuesday I started my drive to Florida.  I had decided rather then fly to Ft.
Lauderdale to take the cruise, I would drive by myself and stop when I wanted, and visit
a couple of friends, and bird along the way.

Naturally my first stop, and stay the night was Paducah, Kentucky.
Had to visit Hancock's.  I had a list of things I wanted to pick up.
Needed thread, and new rotary cutter blades, and of course fabric.
Kona's color of the year is "Flamingo".  Now for someone that likes Flamingos as
much as I do, I needed to have some of that!  I found a beautiful, large gingham
that is the same shade as the Flamingo fabric, with white.  A new blouse just
may be in the works for me.  One of the classes I am taking on the cruise is
"Quilt of the Century" by Gyleen Fitzgerald.  I had what I believe is a Moda
layer cake from a long time ago. It was part of a kit that I took apart, but is in colors
that I don't usually work with. So, while at Hancock's I picked up a couple more fabrics,
that I think will work with it.  Little hard to get 2 squares 6 1/2 inch out of that layer cake.
Anyway, I found a couple I think will work.   Then didn't I find a couple cool
Flamingo fabrics that I just had to have.
I had a great room and a good nights sleep, ready for my second day.

I did stop in Manchester, Tennessee to check out the Russell Stover store,
How about those boxes of Chocolates.  Told my husband we will have to stop
on the way home, as they have sea salt carmels for Valentine's Day.
Hopefully there will still be some on sale after the big day!!
Next stop was Atlanta, Georgia.  Traffic and trucks was a bit busier going through
Tennessee.  I have my trusty Garmin, navigator, and she got me through
Nashville quite well.  I have to say, no snow or ice or even a hint of it.
But you could tell how bad winter had been so far.  There had been
several semi's still being worked on to get upright and off the interstate.
There was a lot of roadkill.  So sad to see all the different animals along the road.
Got to see a lot of Vulture's as well.  Saw several large flocks of Geese heading
north,and a flock of White Pelicans on a lake as I passed by.
What is really sad to see is all the garbage along the road way.  It is like how
did some of the strange things you see, get there.  I mean a loveseat, and a little farther
away a cushion.  Children's toys, pop bottles, and the usual suspects.  People must
think it is okay to throw trash out the window during the winter.  Someone else
will pick it up.  Sad.....

I did make it to Morrow, Georgia right on time.  Getting through Atlanta is always fun.
Ironically, I got through downtown in about 20 minutes.  What helps is that all the trucks are
diverted to a bypass.  No one was being unpolite.  I have to say there were a few crazies
that flew from one lane across several to get to an off ramp.  How can you not be aware of
where you are.  Entitlement.

Already had dinner, talked to my husband and wrote up this post, and getting ready for
bed.  Time to settle in for the night.  Tomorrow Florida.  I am going to check out a
couple bird sanctuaries and end up down by Sanibel Island.  I have a friend that
winter's there, and she is doing a craft show on Saturday.  Have not seen her
in a long time.  We will have some time to catch up.  Maybe I will get to
stick my toes in the water!  Who knows, I may come up with a couple new for me
life birds.   The cruise does not start until the 8th.  I will meet up with my friend Jan
on the 7th in Ft. Lauderdale.

Ron will be flying down after I get back from the cruise.  He would like to visit
with his Dad, then we will start the drive back to home.  I just may do the drive back too.
We will visit his brother and our friends that provided the kitties.  It will be nice to know then
that we will not have long before Spring does come.

Hope you are going to have a great February.

Mary