Just enough snow...

to make it seem like Christmas!  Hope everyone had a Merry Merry!

Isn't this...

what the Holiday is all about?  OMG - How cute is Bella???!!!

Spring in December

Some of my co-workers received flowers as presents - and they were kind enough to let me try out my camera on the arrangements...

 

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

The department Holiday lunch was very festive!

Well...

We managed to get some shopping in and Dave managed to get the family presents into the Postal System but I didn't have any of the kids' fun stuff ready to mail, so it will probably arrive late, since there's still more shopping to do and some of the on-line purchases still haven't arrived.

'Tis the season!!!!!!!

Too much to do.  Too little time!!!!!!

Awry Plans...

So - not too long after that last post (and I'm talking hours here...), my body gave up and gave 100% effort to support of a head cold.  I didn't feel human again until (freakishly) seven days later - just in time to go back to work!  Heaven forbid I get to use my sick leave....no, I have to use vacation time to be ill.  Sigh.  I'm still not back to not needing tissue at hand, but since I'm not contagious, it's back to work...

Basically, all my plans for that time off were tossed; I did manage to make up for some lost time this week, however.

I removed the center of the friendship block (it was the one required piece of material I was sent), and put it into another block which I'm much happier with - the size is closer to what is needed and shouldn't require too much adaptation.

I also was able to get the panel for the Saturn V art project started...can you guess my theme?

My contribution to the Covers for Kids is also off to a good start.  I think it will be okay - the stars on the blue material glow in the dark - and the reds are redder than this photo shows - I'm calling it "Cowboy Dreams" -

Finished a couple of small pieces - the piece on the left is "Full Moon Monday" (12"x12") and the piece on the right is "Ornament" (6"x6").

We'll just have to wait and see what this week brings.  I'm through making plans!

Working on my list...

Working at getting things finished...this week I completed a log cabin square that is my contribution to a friendship quilt (maybe they can use it on the back...sewed some of those strips three times and, still...had to make it bigger than the 12.5" needed so they can cut it down...sigh...precision sewing just isn't my thing!).

Also finished Faded Memories for the Twisted Sisters exhibit (12"x12") - rounded the corners because all I could think of as I was finishing it up was Lu's comment that small quilts look like potholders! 

Since I've taken the week off, I plan to finish my panel for the Saturn V rocket, as well as the lion in the bathroom (sounds like he's the second cousin of the one in the wardrobe...twice removed on his mother's side ..).

Stay tuned!

Saturday in Tyler

Dave gave a lecture in Tyler today at the Mayflower Compact Luncheon, which he said he enjoyed doing very much.

I joined him for the trip and while he was lecturing, I took myself off to the local quilt shop (The Nimble Thimble - very nice...) where I did a sufficient amount of wallet damage and then off to Chili's for lunch. The weather was beautiful and it was a good day to travel to East Texas.

I even figured out how to take my own picture!  Amazing what you learn about your camera when you start reading the directions!

The only blooming flora was just outside the hall where Dave was lecturing...it may be that Fall is actually here!

Pirate Shoes

Any day you get to wear Pirate Shoes all day has to be a good day!

I think I'll add my skull and crossbones "croc buttons" - as soon as I find them.

I was down in New Braunfels at my department's retreat.  Not the kind where you and your co-workers go through 'trust' and 'teamwork' excercises.  But the kind where all of the investigators and post-doctoral fellows and students get to sit in a lecture hall (1/2 day Friday, 3/4 day Saturday, and 1/2 day Sunday) and listen to scientific presentations by other investigators and post-doctoral fellows and students.  As a worker bee,  I'm not subjected to that special corner on a level Dante missed in his travels (for which I'm very grateful). 

So my weekend was spent making sure that people had the right nametags and the right room keys etc. etc. and doublechecking that transportation arrangements were going smoothly.  I also wandered around the grounds with my camera, and even though it's very much the end of the garden season, and most blooming things were very small, I collected a few more shots for the never-ending supply of flora and abstract pictures.  My favorite shot of the weekend was this one:

But I think some of the other ones came out okay as well.  And I'm glad to be back home.

A Stop at HD

No trip to any place is complete unless there's a stop at the Harley store..

So, to paraphrase Jon Stewart....here it is:  My moment of Zen:

My friend Tonya invited me to participate in her group's exhibit of pieces at the Dallas Quilt Show next March.  The name of the exhibit is "2 degrees of Separation" as each participant must either be a member of the group (1st degree) or invited by a member (2nd degree).  I was thrilled to be asked, but didn't commit until I was sure I would have something I'd want the public to see.  So...This is the corner of the piece I'm finishing up. 

The photo is the only one I have of my grandmothers together- paternal on the left; maternal on the right.  I don't know if they ever met more than once or not (one lived in Tennessee and one lived in south Alabama).  And I'm not even sure when the photo was taken.  Every time I look at this picture I think "Genetics rule."  There is no way I'd ever be a Skinny Minnie with morphology like that in the family - and, understand, Kate (left) was only about 4'10"; and Cora (right) was only about 5'2", so great height wasn't in the cards either.  I have only foggy-fuzzy memories of Kate because she died when I was still very small.  And the memories I have of Cora are overshadowed by the memories of her when she was living with my parents after she had the on-set of Alzheimers and she often didn't recognize me.  But at some moment in time, my grandmothers were in each other's company - I just wish I knew what they talked about.

Art Day

A week ago Friday, my friends put together an "Art Day with Jo" and it was a blast!

Michelle hosted it at her house and Deborah came up with the basic rules. We all brought fabric bases (with batting) and supplies...

We got one hour to work on someone else's piece and then it had to be passed to the next person.

So we spent all day working and it was so much fun! A day full of conversation and fiber art with friends - just doesn't get much better!

we also got some help from the dogs...they are so sweet...

and the pieces were progressiviely interesting...

I only gave them a base of one of my hand-dyed fabrics to begin with...

then Deborah worked on it...

then Lu worked on it....
then Michelle worked on it....

then I finished it today...

pretty cool.

I can hardly wait for the next Art Day!

Vegas Pictures

I think I got the pictures from Vegas to load into an embedded slideshow....



and I also got a few things done over the weekend...finished a baby blanket as well as some of the handwork for the piece I'm considering putting in the Two Degrees of Seperation section at the Dallas Quilt Show next Spring - will give you a sneak peak of part of it when it's actually finished.

I have an Art Day Collaboration on Friday - will post pictures!

Family

It was so very good to see family!  And we had an awesome dinner at the Bellagio's buffet (no...really.  worth every penny!).  But Dave and I are really really glad to be home.  I'll have a few tourist shots to share sometime this week.

Desert Sunrise

A moment of Zen

Even in Vegas, you can find a moment of Zen...

Princess Isabella

Any day you get to visit this and and hug it and buy it cute clothes...is a fabulous day!

Other than Bella...I give you the photo of the day:

Desert Moon