I Think I Found My People

As I was meeting the ladies in my Quilter's Academy class yesterday and listening to the comments some were making throughout the day, I realized....these are my people!!! I'm not the only one who has a "stash" of fabric, and a huge need for a creative outlet that involves sewing of some sort. I felt very comfortable and fit in quite well (take that, Joe, Kristen and Kaitlyn! - They think I'm some sort of hoarding freak). Yesterday's class was a start at the very beginning class; whereas the other class I'm finishing up was a jump right in and start a quilt class with a few basics thrown in. I can see that I will enjoy being in this group. I will want to join the Norman Area Embroiderer's Guild and go on the mystery retreats and sew and sew and sew. The mystery retreats begin at the shop where everyone boards a bus and goes to a house somewhere in Norman specifically for that purpose. You bring all your equipment with you and you receive a kit and you sew all weekend long and make a quilt with other ladies.

I feel like I did when I became a Girl Scout leader. It's something I was born to do, enjoy immensely, and feel very creative. And I'm growing the obligatory "big butt" from sitting on my *** so I'll fit right in!!!

Anyway, I'm channeling my inner Granny (I wish I had gotten her old sewing machine)and waiting for the day one of the girls permanently moves out of the house so I can have my "sewing room." I'm not sure how long I can be patient......

The things we do....

Today, I'm going to my first Quilter's Academy: The Freshman Year class. The other quilting class I was in had to reschedule their last class to next Wednesday night because of a funeral the instructor had to attend. I've been recruited (volunteered) by the sorority to sew t-shirt quilts for the graduating seniors. I know I'll be making Kristen's. There are 30 seniors, so I may be doing up to 8-10 additional ones too, depending on how many sewers they recruit.

Also to help out Kristen's roommate and sorority sister, I'm attending a marketing focus group tomorrow from 2-4 at the university. She's been sending me questions all week concerning osteoporosis and the medication I take for it.

I've started a new shawl for the prayer shawl ministry. The yarn is called golden, so it's going to be a pretty shade of gold.

Yesterday, Jann decided we needed a clean-up day. So her daughter, Lauren, Jann, and I worked on purging the files in our office. We filled up 10 leaf bags full of stuff that now has to be taken somewhere to be shredded or, Jann did say that her husband would burn it during his usual spring burn-off of brush and dead grapevines. They own a vineyard and winery for those of you who didn't know.

Meanwhile, it snowed AGAIN yesterday and it's supposed to snow AGAIN on Monday. I'm so looking forward to spring, how about you?

Block 2

Tonight we completed the 2nd block of our quilt. And, we are about half-way thru the third block. Next week is the last week, where we are supposed to complete blocks 3 and 4.

Prayer Shawl Meeting

Yesterday afternoon, I went to my monthly meeting of the Prayer Shawl circle. It was one of the "leader's" birthday, she turned 55. Someone brought her a heart cake, since it was valentines day. It was good - chocolate with strawberry icing. This first picture shows some of the many shawls we bring in each month to bless. Then they go into the prayer shawl cabinet to be given out when people request them. I brought a scarf yesterday; it's on the corner of the table closest to me so you really can't see it.

Mardi Gras

We left yesterday for Elk City, OK (right off of I-40 on the way to Amarillo) to go to the Mardi Gras party. It's been a couple of years since I've been out that way (last time was with the Girl Scout troop). They've built several wind farms along the way so I thought I would take a video of one that was really close to the highway.



Here are some pictures of Joe and his hunting buddy, Jonathon in their Mardi Gras masks and Joe and me. We had dinner at Jonathon's mother's home in Elk City (think ginormous spread out mansion with library, conversation pit, all inlaid tables, huge windows, etc. Jonathon made crawfish and shrimp etouffee, everything was decorated with mardi gras beads, masks, etc. It was gorgeous! The jester's mask was the centerpiece on the big dining room table.

Affair of the Heart Craft Show

I took a half-day of vacation yesterday and went to the Affair of the Heart craft show in OKC (it's the same one that comes in October also). It turned out to be a beautiful day. Thursday, it snowed and it was cold. Friday was sunny and 51 degrees. How's that for a turnaround? I bought 2 things. A bling-y bracelet for my Mardi Gras wear this weekend (same as the one I saw in Dillards but $20 less) and a scarf thing-y, similar to a scarf clip. (I LOVE accessories.) When I saw it on the model, I asked the people to show me how it worked, so the man showed me. I was like, "SOLD, gimme one."

To Kill a Mockingbird

I went to see To Kill a Mockingbird (play) last night at OU. It was awesome! There was a little girl (middle school age 11/12) who played Scout and she was mesmerizing. I was in tears during several parts of the play the actors did such a good job. The guy who played Atticus sounded like Gregory Peck and the girl playing Calpurnia (the maid) looked and sounded a lot like the lady did in the movie. They did almost all of the scenes from the movie including the ones where Atticus kills the "mad dog" and when Scout and Jem are coming home from the fall play (where Scout is wearing the ham costume) and Boo Radley kills Bob Ewell. The courtroom scene was also amazing. I enjoyed it immensely. But then, To Kill a Mockingbird is my all-time favorite book and to have been involved in Augusta's Little Theatre as a teen, I can appreciate what the actors go through to learn their parts and go to school at the same time. It's a good thing I did it as a teen, because NOW I can't even remember what I had for breakfast this morning much less all those wonderful lines!!!! Hahaha

Quilting Class

I went to my first quilting class last night. There were waaaayyy too many people in the class. Apparently when the shop moved to its new location they must not have consolidated their list of attendees. There were 15 in class where there is usually 6-7. Anyway, things went kind of slow. The very first seam I sewed, I had to rip out (didn't sew the strips in the right order). Then I found out my ruler had an extra 1/4" on the edge so I cut my strips too wide. The teacher trimmed them for me while I sewed them up. I had to finish my "block" when I got home. The 3 hours weren't enough with everyone bottling up at the ironing boards and bumping butts trying to get out of their seats. It was fun, tho. One of the owner's husband (about Bobo's age) carried my machine out for me and put it in my car after the class. He was so sweet. We have class for the next two weeks. When we finish, we'll have done 4 different blocks and put the connecting pieces on. I assume we'll put the batting and backing on after the class is over. Mine is being done with clearance Christmas fabric from Hancocks. The backing is a nativity scene, which you can see parts of in this first block. I'll keep you posted with how it goes. Here's a picture of my first block.

Help me pick

These are not the best pictures of me personally (Joe was angling up while I was standing on a stool looking down and I wasn't smiling) but I'm trying to pick what I'm going to wear for a "black tie" Mardi Gras gala next weekend. Joe says it's between the green/black and white/black one (supposed to be formal, he sprung this on me the other night). Anyway, help me decide. I have back views too, but I didn't want to put them on here. I have plenty of accessories (shoes, purses, jewelry, wraps) for all of them.




I think this one's going back to the store...


I found this at a consignment store and I think I'm going to wear it to a Champagne and Dessert (and To Kill a Mockingbird play) at OU for the University Women's Association fundraiser Thursday night. It's palazzo pants and I don't understand why they bunching at the crotch except for they are sticking to my Spanx. I'll have to rub some bounce fabric sheets on myself!!




This is actually two separates. I've had the skirt for several years (never worn) and found the sparkly top yesterday at Dillards. But the green is a Mardi Gras color. It'll match any beads I get (just kidding).

Today, Jann and I were taking pictures of each other for a newsletter we're going to send out to her clients. Here are two we took of me.