Wow...what a week.

All I can say is thank goodness it is over. It went well, we had some great parties. You know you are going to have a bunch of people you didn't know were coming when you are in the grocery store and strangers are coming up to you to inquire about what they should bring to dinner. Heck I even had cashiers shouting down the line to ask what they should bring....it was another one of those dream things...have a dinner party that only 6 people RSVP to and have 80 show up. I was praying that no one would shout out my address. In reality some great food was shared, I had a wonderful time and I found a bottle of wine that was abandoned on the dining room table, it was one of the best reds I have ever tasted, so I scooped it up and hid it (is that the sign of an alcoholic? hording and hiding spirits?) I did ration it for the next couple days while my husband was out of town so I could have a nice glass after the kiddos went to bed.

This is a scrap swap with my Flickr Friend Krom mama. I have bins and bins of scrap fabric. I do hoard my scrap fabric. I have ever since quilting class with the ladies at First Baptist Church in Killeen, TX. If any of you sew and would like to increase you "scrap Stash" let me know before I mail out your order and I will add a bag-o-scraps, if you like.

Speaking of orders...my Internet has been down a bit this week and since all my emails are now working wonderfully I am getting your emails in about 4 different boxes. Needless to say I have no idea who I have replied to and who is left hanging. I don't want you to be hanging, so remind me with another email...or maybe 2? I hate leaving loose ends. I will read your email and go off to research a question or look at some fabric you liked and forget who I was looking at it for and which email I found it in....bla bla bla. When we move back to the states (which might be much sooner than we thought) I will need an assistant in this little business of mine. It has gotten so much bigger than me. I don't even like to think about it. Makes me dizzy.

Here is another pillow I made in a down moment when I couldn't drag out my bags to work on, but scraps were fine. It is inspired by this outstanding quilt from the Tokyo quilt show. I quite love this pillow. Kinda makes me want to quit making bags and just make pillows. But I won't do that yet, I have too many bags to finish before I quit!

So, This is my Emma. She went to a Disco at her School Friday and had a blast. Most of you know Emma has a hearing impairment (she has a sensory-neural hearing loss, wears bilateral hearing aides and uses a microphone/receiver system while in class). I have finally made the decision I have been wanting to make since I first found out about her challenge. I am going to home school Miss Emma next year. The nail in the public school coffin was pounded in on Monday afternoon when I get a call from her school telling me Emma has her bags packed and is waiting for me in the office to come and get her. "she has finished with school and wants to be taught at home" She is a very mature little 7 year old and always has a plan for something. Well, she had a plan for her education. I made an appointment to talk with her teacher and find out that she is terribly behind in reading, spelling and math. OK...there are 2 weeks left in the school year. Why in all that is Holy am I only hearing about this NOW! I am at school every day, twice a day, I have scheduled meetings with her teacher and hearing team every term...I am pretty ticked off at this point. I have a freaking Bachelors of Science (in nursing....but I can teach her to recognise signs of shock) so I can just teach my daughter my self. I have been getting wonderful information from my Friends here in town who home school and we are going to Kumon so she can get even more help. Emma is over the moon thrilled with learning now. She just needed me to sit down and listen to her. Poor kid.

During this week of madness I found time to finish this bag that has been waiting very patiently since like April. I really think Elves finished it because I really don't remember doing it. I do remember giving it to my friend at coffee and watching 3 Aborigine women try to beat the crap out of one another.

I wanted this to be up at the top as the first thing you see and first thing I talk about...but as usual I upload the pictures in the wrong order. J. Lytle bought this beautiful fabric and donated it to my Hero Quilt cause. I think I have 7 Hero quilts in the works right now, and I am so grateful to you for making this generous donation. Thank you so much!

Last thing before I go return to my sewing studio (well I am in the studio right now...but my back is to the machines) I am getting down to crunch time again.....I hate deadlines, but I think I will be able to make them. If you have a Christmas Deadline PLEASE EMAIL ME ASAP. I want to do triage on my bags I am pretty sure I have everyone on my whiteboard here in the sewing room, but I just want to double check. Also if you are not over on my list for some reason (and I have you order form, uniform and $$) please let me know. I will take care of that ASAP as well. See, I totally need an assistant. Who wants to work with me if we move to either FT Campbell or FT Bragg?

Talk to you later!

Tia