Back Home ~ Missing Warm Weather!

I'm back home from a lovely trip to warm climates.  Returning to our typical Chicago winter wasn't a terrible shock, but must say that I adjusted to the sunny 70's and 80's in about 2 seconds flat.  

My first stop was to visit the lovely ladies of the Country Road Quilters Guild in Ocala, Fl.  A beautiful part of the county, it is home to a big thoroughbred horse community.   Home, also, to a group of warm and friendly women I had the pleasure of meeting.  I gave a lecture and workshop and spent two days with them.  I am so very lucky to have this job to be able to spend time with quilters all over the country as they really are the best people!  

Now...did I remember to take photos?  No!  And, ya know, I've decided that it's not a sin because I really am so in the moment enjoying talking and spending time with these folks that I'm OK with not remembering to take pictures.  Hope I do better remembering, but if not...well, that will be OK, too.

On Saturday, I met up with the smiling faces of my girlfriends in the photo above, and we boarded the Oasis of the Seas to cruise the Caribbean with 90+ other ladies from 3 countries and 22 states.  Stacy West of Buttermilk Basin and Lisa Bongean of Primitive Gatherings were hosts to our group of wool loving stitchers.  I'll post pictures of the projects as I complete them. Not sure what year that will be (parish the thought!)

The ship was nothing short of amazing.  We had calm seas, partly sunny weather, visited three ports of call, and stitched, relaxed, ate, drank and laughed our way thru the week.  A wonderful vacation, and I highly recommend it if you get a chance.

Back home means back to work.  I feel recharged and energetic...and it's a good thing, too, cause I have lots of work to do.  Presently, I am writing the cutting and pattern instructions for my new BOM.  Next week, I hope to be cutting and sewing the blocks.  

Wish I could show it all to you, really I do, but must keep things under wraps for a little longer.  

In the meantime, I hope you're all doing well, and I sure hope you get some time to sew a little today.  It is...so good for the soul!