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Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Getting Ready!

Twice a year, a bunch of my Quilt Club gals and I get away from it all for three days and two nights of games, food and quilting!! It's always a hoot -- and I was so afraid I wasn't going to get to go!!  Jeff was scheduled to return from Afghanistan this same week, so my plans were to skip the spring retreat and hope for the timing to be better in the fall.

But the army is never predictable! LOL and Jeff's Welcome Home ceremony is Sunday!! Which means, I get to go to retreat (which ends Saturday), AND I won't have to keep him waiting at the armory while I diddle-daddle with the gals! :-D (As if I would!!)

So I've got double duty for getting ready.  Retreat stuff, the house, my toenails!! :-D
(Don't mind the grime; I just fed the cats and chickens -- and Oh! Look at little "Smokey" (? tentative name since we don't know if it's a he or a she, yet! :-D)! It's a wonder my feet didn't scare the little thing!! LOL

I've got most of my sewing stuff ready to go:

I always take way too much.  I wanna be prepared for whatever I'm in the mood to sew, you know? That's the thing with UFO's ....the reason they are UFO's is that you get out of the mood to finish them!

Some things are mandatory, though.
My leaders-and-enders 2" squares.
Chocolate (the good stuff! :-D)
My annual hauling out of the scrappy-spools-which-I-have-already-made-two-large-quilts-and-one-lap-quilt-of project:
Then, of course, there's the new project that I'm totally inspired with and wanna get started on!
I spent the better part of this week sorting my scraps by color. I'll eventually cut  them into Bonnie Hunter's Scrap User's System, but I had to sort them so I could find scraps for this quilt by Edyta Sitar in her Friendship Strips and Scraps book!!

The pattern calls for 1" strips!! I'll be using some small stuff on this one!

(What is it with me and spool quilts!?!)

So after cleaning up my messes and packing clothes (I should probably wear some on retreat! Jeff probably won't mind if I don't! LOL), I'll be ready to walk out the door. 

I can't wait! No dishes. No phone calls ('cept to check on the young-uns). Just friends, fabric and fun!

And Jeff on Sunday, home for a good while, thank the Lord!  I'm so ready!!

“Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready."
Revelation 19:6-7

Blessings,

19 comments:

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

glad to hear your hubby is coming back home - must be a relieve to you and the children!! have fun at your retreat.
Karen
http://karensquilting.com/blog/

Loris said...

This sounds like fun and joy are in the near future. Enjoy to the fullest! Glad DH is coming home safe! Thank him for me! I appreciate the job he is doing.

Emma said...

Congrats on Jeff coming home soon! Having gone through a redeployment right before the holidays (not a long one, but still), I know how exciting and how frustrating the next few months will be! Enjoy every bit of being a newlywed again for a bit...that's the best thing about deployments - you get to feel like a newlywed every few years!

Oh, and I love how one spool in that quilt is sideways...so perfect!

Handmade Crafts Done While RVing Blog said...

WONDERFUL NEWS ON YOUR HUSBAND - soooo happy for you. Love the toes - I am due for mine to be done too (I do them myself)... Happy Wednesday!!

Evielynne

Michelle said...

Great news that your hubby is coming home soon! Enjoy your retreat too...sounds like a fun time. We have a Smokey too and he looks a lot like your kitten. You can see lots of pics of him on my blog. :)

Nancy said...

Wondering about your eight pointed star block. Beautiful! Does it have a different name? I have such trouble piecing my centers to get a nice point. Yours is lovely.

Nancy

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

So glad you get to go to your retreat and be there for your husband's homecoming!

Love your toes!
Deanna

Cheri said...

What a great week for you! Have fun, fun, fun. Isn't that book by Edyta Sitar just the best, I like the spool quilt also. Will keep Jeff on the prayer list for safe travels.
Cheri

LuAnn said...

Hi Mary Lou Have a great time at your retreat, and glad that Jeff is coming home soon!

antique quilter said...

I am happy that your going on a retreat but I am happier that your husband is coming home safe and sound for a long time ! YEAH
smokey is a cute name for an adorable kittie
Kathie

Carol said...

I'm so happy that you're getting to go on your retreat...and I THRILLED that your hubby will be home safe and sound! Have a wonderful, wonderful time! ENJOY! Smokey is precious!

Crispy said...

How exciting that Jeff will be home for a long while!! Just think, no more chicken and bee duties for you LOL.

Have a wonderful time with the "girls". I don't think you took too much stuff with you :0) It'll be fun to hear what you actually can get done.

Crispy

Taryn said...

Hmmm. I would like to do a little poking around in your baskets. Things look intriging. The new spool pattern is really catching my eye. What a great design. Enjoy your retreat; three days of quilting with friends sounds divine! And, best wishes to your family now that everyone will be back under the same roof.

Lori said...

How nice the timing worked out for Jeff's arrival and the retreat!!
Love the spool blocks and appliqued border. Have fun!

Barb said...

Have a great time on retreat!
You have so many fun projects going on. I love the new spool quilt - the kittie is the cutest ever!
I'm sure you are looking forward to Jeff being home again! enjoy!

Jen said...

What a great week for you! Have fun and sew a ton! I love the new spool quilt.

Ann Champion said...

It's great that the timing worked out so you could go on retreat..and be back for Jeff's homecoming! You have some fun projects packed..and I love the spool with the 1" strips.

Your toes look cute! I haven't been sockless in ages.

Smokey sure looks at home there. ;)

Anne said...

Wow, Mary Lou, you are an amazingly talented quilter. Gorgeous blocks! Have fun at your retreat! Glad your hubby is coming home. Tell him that he is very much appreciated for his dedication to our country!

Stitched With Prayer said...

Enjoy, enjoy and ENJOY!!! So happy your DH is coming home. My DH spent the first 13 months of our marriage in Vietnam and I remember the day he came home like it was yesterday...that was 43 years ago. OH, and one last thing, I'm so in love with your little "Smokey" and I think the name works for either a boy or girl. You could just change the spelling for a girl to Smokie, LOL. Hugs...