What a week...

High points from this week:
1. AC/DC Thursday night (thanks to Baby Brother for the early Christmas gift!) These guys maybe AARP members, but they have stayed true to their rocking roots and still can give a great show! The picture is Angus showing us how it is DONE!
2. NC Dance Theater presentation of the Nutcracker Saturday matinee. Magical, exuberant, excellent way to reconnect with the child-like view of the Holiday season. Over 100 dancers in the cast, all did a fantastic job. Thanks to best-ever boss for the tickets!
3. Judy and Tammy loved their handbags. I love giving gifts!
4. Man-cub got home, posted EXCELLENT grades for the semester.
5. Handsome hubby continues to recover with his new hip.

Now the downside:
1. Still need to obtain a few more gifts for relatives. We drew names this year, to minimize expenses and waste, so I want to make sure we get them something they will like!
2. Man-cub is sick. Can't get into the doctor until tomorrow.
3. Even though I am glad to have a 2 week vacation, I am still worried about the future of my job. Will I have it through this time next year? Not looking good for the remaining few domestic textile mills.

Still, today is the Winter Solstice, the sun is out and I am going to keep a positive outlook. I have about 30 minutes to a completed quilt top, and that is something I greatly look forward to!

Shameless self-promotion

YAY! My fabric mecca (MaryJo's of Gastonia) is featuring my work on their Community pages here. This is for Tuesday, December 16. I am so excited!

Also a little promotion for a friend: Jeff Welch of Luna Cycles won the Men's B 40+ race at Cyclocross National Championships in Kansas City!Great job and congratulations!

I now have 3 days left to go into work this year. I am off from Dec 19-Jan 5. I sure hope the mill is still open so I can go back! With the current economic woes, I can't take it for granted. We have dramatically scaled back the Christmas gifts this year. We are drawing names with my husband's family this year and plan to so with my family next year. We are all so very blessed and none of us "need" any trinkets or tchotckes to add to our clutter. It is enough to have each other and the opportunity to be together. All I want for Christmas for myself is time to rest, a complete night's sleep and time to sew. For the earth as a whole, I want Peace, Compassion and Love.

2 new bags complete!

2 more Christmas presents complete! The beautiful brown floral (great fabric from Moda, lined in orange dimples) is for Judy, the Elephant applique bag is for Tammy. I love both of these bags! I want to make one for me next, but need to start my king-size quilt first. I think I am going to do it in a rail-fence pattern. The fabrics are all soothing taupes and grays.

New runner finished

I finished this runner last night. Most of the fabrics came from MaryJo's. This is the second I have made from this pattern (from a Fons and Porters magazine). Amazing how much quicker the second one goes together! I am improving on my free-motion quilting, it just takes time and practice.
I brought my handsome hubby home from the hospital yesterday. He had a new left hip implanted on Tuesday. He is doing well, this also takes time and practice to improve!

Happy Howl-o-days!

Oh, the things we do to our beloved pets (teehee!). She is a good sport!