Crazy? Maybe!

Thursday morning, I decided to make a block from The Civil War Diary Quilt book for the first time. I had hoped to start working on blocks last January, but life happens, and so does ADHD. I picked this simple block- Oath of Allegiance- and it seemed fitting to make it from tea-themed fabric since I love tea. The CWDQ would be a good way to use up random scraps, and make for a good project in between projects.

Then we decided to drive up to see my mom and grandparents....

And I bought this:

 Now, some of you might think that my husband bought a new revolver at our next stop because he knew I had gone crazy, but honestly, he planned on buying the revolver before he really knew what the Dear Jane quilt was.

We rented 2 movies before coming home, so I just had to find a block from DJ that I could work on while on the couch:

 And then yesterday, I made another block:

 And 2 more today:

I machine appliqued this one for precision.

You'll notice there's no real theme beyond scrappy. That's the point. Old quilts often just had bits and pieces with no real theme, so why not make my DJ out of just leftovers? And, if you've followed for very long, you know this means when I turn 40 and finally have it done, my Dear Jane sampler will be very eclectic!

My New Year's Eve plans involve taking down Christmas decorations, sewing whatever I feel like, and running 3 miles, starting when the ball drops. Seems like a good way to ring in the new year to me!

So long, 2011. Hello, 2012!

Resolutions

I'm the worst when it comes to resolutions...
So, this year, rather than coming up with new goals this week, I'm just proclaiming a goal I set for myself last September:
In 2012, I will run my first marathon. After finishing the half, I knew I wanted to run a full, so this year, we'll be running the USAF Marathon. I'm so excited already! Registration opens on Sunday, and it's my last Christmas present.
I'm so excited. This is a goal I will achieve. A dream I will live. A hurdle I will leap past.
It's going to be AWESOME!

Fabric shopping spree!

 I have the best husband in the world.

 He took to me to 2 different quilt shops on wednesday for part of my Christmas- my own personal fabric splurge.

 I have plans for the blues, and the cake fabric already, and the Kaffe Fassett fabrics below.

 And these will soon be new pillows for the couch. 

I picked out several other fat quarters, too, that for now, are just for fun.

My husband is awesome. He truly understands me, and knew how much I would love all this lovely fabric.

He's the best. And this was just part of what he spoiled me with this year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Merry Christmas!

The final preparations are being made for tomorrow's meal- I'm taking ham, potato casserole, bambini, cookies, and peanut butter fudge to the guys (my husband, included) who have to work on base tomorrow night. They enjoyed it so much last year, and frankly, so did I, so I'm doing it again. I love cooking for people and this is the next best thing to being able to go home for Christmas.

The only question remaining is if I should make chocolate fudge, too... hmm...

I hope you all have a fabulous Christmas weekend!

Warning!

Too much knitting can cause tendonitis!

My whole arm hurts, tingles, zings, from my should to my fingertips.

Apparently, knitting all those presents, plus my husband's hat, plus a neck gaitor for me, plus a pair of gloves, plus one sock....
Oh, yeah, add in some English paper piecing...
And I'm guessing rotary cutting strips didn't help, either...

and BAM!

Sore arm. Can't sleep on that side, it hurts so much. I've been trying to do as little as possible, but it's difficult.

I want to play with fabric! And yarn!

GRRRRR.

I really hope it's better by Thursday... on Wednesday, I get to go on a fabric binge!!! My dearest, most wonderful husband has decided to give me a FABRIC SHOPPING SPREE!!! Can we say, "Best Christmas present ever?" Well, at least in the crafting category... I really can't compare it to the diamonds last year. :) Apples and oranges, or fat quarters and carats.

A well-deserved sigh.

I ran the Huff this morning- not the 50K ultra, but the 10-point-something fun run- which was fun, despite the delay getting in the park, 20 minute wait for one of 6 porta-potties (for 800+ people!), the fact that because I had to go potty I missed the official start by 5-10 minutes (hooray, chip timing), and the flooded, muddy trails. That mud might be why as frustrating as getting there and getting going turned out to be, I was grinning like a frosty idiot. I wish I had had a camera, but due to the water I knew I'd have to splash through, I didn't bring my phone with me, so you'll have to trust me- it was a beautiful run! Falling snow, icy lakes, truly beautiful. And I'm not a huge fan of snow!

Because of the hectic rush I ended up in, I was very glad to have made myself a running belt last night on a whim:

I didn't have time after packet pick-up to run the mile back to my car to put my shirt, keys, and ID away, so I was VERY glad I had this belt. It also made it easy to pin on my bib.

The best part of the day? My Momma drove down to watch me finish! She surprised me- I came across the finish line and there she was, so happy and proud. I love my momma. She took me to Subway afterwards, too.

I managed to snap a picture while I was in my car after lunch.

That green shirt is the tech shirt we got for participating- mine now has official trail running snags on it!

Enjoy the weekend! I'm going to bake- I earned it. :D

Up too early!

Is there ANYONE else out there who wakes up so hungry they can't fall back asleep? Anyone? I don't mind when I feel like this at 8 AM, but 6?? It happens way more often than I'd like, too. This is the third time this month I've woken at 6 AM or earlier, just because I was hungry (And yes, I eat enough). But then again, I'm the girl who carries food in her purse at all times because if I go more than 2 hours without a snack, no one is happy.

But anyway.

Yesterday, I felt like I *needed* to make another small pouch.

 The outside fabric I bought 2 years ago. It was from an Asian fat quarter set, and this one print I just couldn't cut into, until yesterday.

The lining is a bali batik from a scrap pack I got with a birthday certificate this year. I put all my race essentials- watch, road ID, iPod, and sport beans- in the pouch so I can just grab and go on Saturday morning. At least when I wake up early on Saturday, I'll have nerves to blame and not just an empty stomach! Though I really hope I can sleep until my alarm goes off at 5 AM. UGH.

Perhaps I can use this early start to be productive today.

but then again, it usually means I crash at 3 PM. We'll see.

Frogging is such a fun term.

The last of the Christmas gifts are DONE! DONE! DONE! In all, I knitted 10 hats in 6 days. Perhaps that is why I feel like I'm doomed to suffer carpal tunnel surgery in the future.

I also made a Kindle cover for a cousin, a knitting needle holder for a friend, and an electronic case. All gifts.

So, to celebrate, I started knitting my first pair of gloves... and then had to rip the first one apart (frog it! Somehow, such a fun name makes tearing up hours of work less painful) because I'm a bad girl and never check gauge, so it would have been large enough for a 10 foot tall MAN. But, I did manage to make the right adjustments, and I have one glove done!

 I also made a second holder for my DPNs. I bought this Alice in Wonderland fabric a year ago, and didn't know what to do with it... so why not use it for a knitting needle case?

After all, sometimes it feels like going through to rabbit hole trying to understand a knitting pattern! And that ribbon? It's one of many that I saved from our wedding presents. Any time I'm making something for myself, I look through my small basket of ribbons from our wedding gifts, and when there's a good fit, I use it! It adds a little more meaning to my many random projects.

I have my last race of this calendar year on Saturday. You may have picked up on how I tend to buy myself a finisher present after big events (I bought running clothes and fabric after the half marathon, and may or may not have blogged about my tea purchases after the Tough Mudder, and then more tea after I did so well on Thanksgiving). Well, Saturday is a 10.8 mile trail fun run, which I think deserves a finisher present... so I ordered 5 different half yard pieces from Fabricworm today. I know, a little early, but this way, I'm hoping they'll arrive quickly and give me something fun to do while I remind myself I need to rest.

I leave you with a final question: If you had to choose between reindeer antlers (with a warm headband) and a polar bear hat, which would you wear for a 10.8 mile fun run? I've got 3 days to decide...

Don't you hate it...

...when a relative/friend waits until the second week of December to ask you to make a gift?
(Thankfully, it only took an hour to make last night)

...when you forget that your spouse has 5 siblings, not 4, and so have to find another color yarn for the 5th hat?
(Well, this isn't so bad since it meant I went to JoAnn's yesterday)

...when a knitting pattern says, "Any worsted weight yarn" so you just go ahead and knit with standard worsted weight without making a swatch and the hat turns out to be 4" to big around and big enough for a large pumpkin?
(@#$%^ At least the yarn is in 2 balls now instead of clumsy skeins)

I need to get off the computer, get the grocery run done, and get back to knitting the last few presents!

Oh, Snow!!!

 4 PM yesterday...

 8 PM.

This is why our lights flickered on and off all evening, and why eventually there was a county-wide power outage for about half an hour. Wet, heavy snow. Twice I had to go pull branches out of our driveway, and my husband had to remove more when he got home so he could get in the garage.

Why, hello, Winter, I see you've announced yourself rather loudly.

In sewing news, I had a friend call and ask for 2 knitting totes. This is what I came up with. It's large enough to hold 4 large balls of yarn (and I'm talking those one-lb beasts), has 8 needle pockets, and an interior pocket for scissors and other necessities. 

Yesterday, I reinforced the top corners to make it stay more boxy.

Now to make the other one. 

Enjoy your day! I've got snow to shovel.

My year in Christmas cookies

USAF half marathon, Tough Mudder, and a cookie to show what the big, dumb dog did yesterday because he didn't want to go outside in the rain. I had to re-wrap four presents. Oh well.

A new purse, a new PR, and reflections.

 I'm getting better at putting zippers into my sewing projects. This is the first time I put one on a purse of my own design- usually I avoid them because they can be tricky, but I'm tired of stuff spilling out.

I'm apparently also getting better at running- I ran my fastest 10K ever in 47:57!!! I was worried about having forgotten my watch, iPod, and road ID. I ran by feel, and felt awesome through the whole thing, and was ecstatic when I rounded the final curve and saw I was going to make it under 48 minutes. If I hadn't been cheap when we registered, and had paid for the chip timing to be eligible for prizes, I would have won 2nd place and a small prize! Next, year, I want to win that coveted Turkey Stampede gravy boat... :)

I learned a lot about myself, and my limits, during the Tough Mudder. It made a 10K seem like nothing. The Tough Mudder has shown me that I can handle much, much more than I thought, that I can keep going when nearly every fiber of my body is malfunctioning, that I can climb walls, jump off platforms into cold water despite my fears, run through smoke, and get shocked on the forehead by 10,000 volts.

I credit the Tough Mudder with my amazing 10K finish, and with my recent phase of super-productivity.
I feel like I'm more focused in all regions of my life. Running, crafting, my relationship, even. I made my husband a personal Thanksgiving meal yesterday- turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes- because it's the least I can do for a man who never ceases to amaze me.

I am thankful for everything I have, for my family, my husband, our dogs, our house, our lives. As the year winds down, I can look back and be amazed by everything we have accomplished. Next year promises to be just as awesome, if not better.

I'm a dirty girl

With that grin, you'd never know how damn cold I was.

Today, I proved that I'm a badass.
Our team finished the Tough Mudder in 2 hours, 20 minutes. We're all badasses.
I've never been so cold in my life.
I've never earned my bruises as much as I did today. For once, I know where they all came from- probably the toughest run I'll ever do.
I've never had so much fun being so miserable.
It was awesome.

But right now, I need to drink my hot tea (that might have a little something extra in it) and try to get warm under my pile of recent quilt finishes.... and I might not move for 48 hours.

11-11-11

Take a moment today to remember all the veterans, past and present.
I'm lucky enough to have had three grandfathers (divorce math) who served, one uncle, and am now married to the most wonderful man who happens to be a veteran and is still active duty.

If you love our country, thank a veteran. If you love your freedom, thank a veteran. If you are against the war, thank a veteran for volunteering so you didn't have to. If you enjoy protesting and stretching the limits of freedom of speech, you damn well better thank a veteran.

I'm sending molasses cookies in with my husband for his unit to have. It's the best way I know to thank these guys, and so far, they've never complained about dessert!

Two posts in one day!

I made some changes here. New photo at the top, new blog title.

Over the summer, it seemed like the was a correlation between frequency of running-related posts and loss of followers. So, to appease people, I tried starting a separate running blog.

But then I got to thinking about it.
I run. I quilt. I bake.
This is MY blog.
Why am I trying to make everyone else happy?

With that said, welcome to Stitch. Bake. Run.

I'm not begging for followers, especially if they're just going to jump ship when I'm being myself. Being MY blog, I should be able to write about what interest me- all of it, not just what some readers want to hear. The beauty of the internet is that you don't have to read every post- so if you're a quilty friend, feel free to ignore anything running related. If you're just into running, I'm not offended if you fail to understand why I play with fabric.

That little number of followers has about as much impact on my self-worth as the number on the scale. Or the size of my pants. Or how many cupcakes I eat before my husband gets home.

And, if my quest to run a marathon next September bores you to tears, then we probably would make good friends in real life. I give you full permission to unsubscribe if you never want to hear about another long run or PR or new shoes again.

To all of you who have stick with me: Thank you. I love the support I get through blogging, whether it be quilt-related or running-related. You're the ones I'd love to have lunch with, if we weren't separated by states and continents and this strange thing that is the internet. You are my blog friends, and I thank you for that.

And for you, there will be a Thanksgiving-themed tutorial sometime before Thanksgiving. I can't promise a specific date due to Tough Mudder training and other fun stuff, but it will be up before Thanksgiving. My way of thanking YOU!!!

Stay tuned!

Huh?

Can anyone tell me why a "Giveaway Scout" posted on my blog that I should join their site? And, why was that comment left on my Halloween 5K post??? Does this make any sense? Didn't think so.

In other news, I have a semi-secret project in the works. It's awesome- you'll just have to trust me.

Hope your weekend is filled with fun and fabric!!!

30 hours of work for less than 27 minutes of fun.

Worth it!

All the time, effort, and tedious detail work put into this costume-- it was all WORTH IT!

We ran, and laughed, and laughed, and ran, and somehow managed a 26:57 5K without really trying. Tons and tons of fun, not only for us running in costume, but seeing the other costumes and especially the look on people's faces on the canal who didn't get the memo that there was a costume 5K going on!!!
 So much fun.

And, I'm pleased to report that this photo will be immortalized as part of our annual photo Christmas card!!!

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Quick projects

 I honestly didn't know what I was doing when I started sewing together the selvedges from the Christmas fat quarters. But, this is what it evolved into! It fits a small table that I use for drinks and stuff when I'm relaxing on the couch.

Today found me making this little zippered pouch. The pattern is called a dumpling, and you can find it here. I found it through the Ghastlies blog hop that the lovely Madame Samm has arranged.

See what happens when I finally have free time? The craftiness is exploding!

Another flimsy!

After finishing my Halloween quilt, I jumped right to Christmas!!!!

I won this fat quarter set from the lovely Judy at Green Fairy Quilts a while back, and finally had time to play with them. I've seen quilts like this before, and it seemed the best way to display each pretty print and maximize the size of quilt I could make, so I did a little figuring and came up with the size I needed to make each block, and voila! Now it just needs to be quilted, and then I'll be warm for another holiday!

A finish, and a start

I'd make a horrible spider if this quilted spider web is any indication.

I finished my Halloween quilt yesterday!!!! It's probably the worst quilting you've seen all year, but you know what? It's still a darn warm quilt!

And, I've started a running blog so as to not bore you all with the running stuff. I seemed to be losing followers after every running-related post, so I'll try to keep this back on sewing topics. But, if anyone still wants to live vicariously through my runs, it's over here.

Happy stitching, everyone!! Remember, if it's not perfect, you can let your husband use the quilt, too!

GRR!

I got all 25 blocks sewn, and pieced the backing, and was all ready to sandwich and baste my Halloween quilt when I realized something very important:
I'm OUT OF BATTING!!!!!
Looks like I'll be making a trip to JoAnn;s soon- good thing it's on sale this week, too!!!

So, instead of basting and quilting tonight, I started a Christmas quilt! Guess I better get at least enough batting for two quilts.

This is Halloween!

Nine more blocks and I'll be ready to assemble my Halloween quilt!

I'm using the super-simple 36 patch block. It seemed like a good way to showcase all my fun Halloween prints, even though they don't all "match." 

When I peeked in my sewing room last night, I was surprised that a couple of the fabrics glow in the dark! YESSSSS!!!!!! Surprisingly, not the green bats, but rather the white spiders on the blue and light purple fabrics. How cool!!!

I might even get it done by this Halloween!!!

EEEEK!

Ridiculous

I'm making a rather elaborate costume for Halloween this year. It's got piping, fringe, snaps, and, for lack of a better word, Va-voom, since it's a Saloon Girl dress. The ridiculous part about it is that I'm making it fit loosely because I plan to RUN A 5K in it.

That's right, ladies and gents, I'm making the most elaborate costume I've ever attempted, and have already sunk about 12 hours into it, just so I can run in it and ruin it in about 26 minutes.

Would you sweat in this?

I finished the bottom half just now (while Prudence watched her soaps), and the top just needs the arm holes and neckline finished with binding- about 2 more hours of work, since I'm being careful, despite the knowledge that I plan on wrecking this costume.

Now, I ask you: Does this make me crazy?

Even if I plan on getting some awesome pictures of the silliness?

We finished!!

Look at us, smiling after last Saturday's half marathon at Wright Patterson AFB. Can I just say it is the coolest thing I have ever accomplished? I am not thoroughly addicted to running. My reward to myself for smashing my goals (I finished in 2:13:06 and beat the captain) was to order some new cold-weather running gear.
Now, I need to stitch up a new quilt to snuggle under during recovery days this fall and winter.
We're contemplating running the Indianapolis Monumental Half this November, too, if Tim can get off work. We're already committed to the Cole Porter 15K a week from Saturday here in town, and a costume 5K in Indy at the end of October.
I guess my running addiction is a pretty good match to my quilting obsession- one keeps me fit, the other keeps me warm and rested, and they both make me happy!!!!

Remembering.

10 years and 2 months ago, I stood high up in one of the World Trade Center towers with my entire summer U.S. history class. It was just one stop of many for us during our 2 week adventure on the east coast. Somewhere, I have a scrap book with the photo of our entire class smiling, completely unaware that the world would be changing so drastically.

If you haven't already, take a moment to appreciate this day. We will never forget those whose lives were lost, nor the lives of the servicemen and women who have since lost their lives in the ensuing battles.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've had my many moments of silence this morning watching the memorial service. I cried more than I care to admit. So, I think I earned all the raucous noise I've been making this afternoon to celebrate the start of football season. If you're a Bears fan, too, you know what I mean. :D

Well, if Autumn has to arrive...

We've been going through a cool spell. Frankly, that makes me sad. I don't like cold, and cool means cold is on the way. So, to cheer myself back up, I started decorating!

I pulled out this banner that I made last year (and never got to hang) and hung it by the back door.

 And then I pulled out the pumpkin placemats, and hanging a sign I got at Target that says, "The Witch is In/Out" (it's one you can turn to say either).

And then, since cool weather tends to bring back my sewing mojo, I stitched up the main part of an advent calendar thanks to a Moda Bake Shop recipe.

 This is one of the 4 charm packs I recently purchased- Santa's Little Helpers. I love sock monkeys. I need to figure out what color for the border so I can make my modification to the pattern- it only has 24 pockets! We always had 25, so that there would be a surprise on Christmas day, too!
It's strange, in real life, the reds match better and the black doesn't look quite so garish, but the photo makes it look like I have no color sense whatsoever.

It's been raining lately, which means Matt doesn't get to play outside as much as he'd like... so he's taken to surfing the web!
Hope you have a fun weekend!

Still wondering where August went!

 Between training for the half marathon (It's two weeks from tomorrow!!!) and work, I'm still losing track of time, running out of energy, and not getting much done. But, i did manage to squeeze in some stitching with the patterns I got from Sublime Stitching, and I finished piecing the DWR.... but now I'm debating between pillow and tote. It's kind of large. And I love it.

And it matches out couch, so it might find its new home there...

I'll try to be back sooner this time with more fun photos!

Hi ho, hi ho, I work too much, you know

At least, I feel like I work too much on days like today when I come home and am soooo tired and realize it's somehow Sunday again and I don't know where on earth the last six days went. It feels like it's always Sunday when I finally figure out what day it is.

But, I have managed some sewing time in those days that disappeared. Tonight, I worked on this:

A much-improved double wedding ring, thanks to paper piecing. If all goes well, I might turn it into a purse- I know, not exactly traditional use of a traditional block, but I think it will look really cool.

Sewing time came after I spent nearly an hour hunting down the Big Brown Idiot who snuck under the fence and terrorized the neighbor kids around the corner- first he scared them, then they saw what a lovable moron was and they wanted to keep him. So, when I finally found him, I told them I'd bring him down to play once I was recovered from my heart attack. I love that moron way too much.

This was taken last weekend when I was getting ready for an early day at work. He brought his blanket out with him like that then laid there while i ate breakfast. Such a sweetheart, but such an idiot. Gotta love that dog.

I blame monster mutt (ok, purebred) Matt for my online retail therapy tonight- I just ordered 4 embroidery patterns from Sublime Stitching, and then ordered two charms packs from Green Fairy Quilts. Granted, spending a total of $36 combined is not exactly a binge, but I rarely, if ever, shop online, so two purchases for me is extraordinary. I also placated my conscience with the fact that I had to work and so missed the shop hop in Kokomo a few weeks ago, and will probably miss the one in Northern Indiana, too, this October unless I can get the day off.

And besides, isn't the point of earning money so that I can spend it on the little things that make me happy?

I better turn off the computer soon, though, or I might find something else I need. Must.resist.more.spending.... at least for tonight.

Let's all have a great week now, and soon it will be Sunday again!!!

Be kind. Please.

So, what have I been doing?

Working, working, sleeping, working, and a little sewing.

I have a Halloween costume about halfway done. And my next purse idea is percolating in my brain.

But, tonight, I want to take a moment to remind you all:
BE KIND.

You know the amazingly talented, super creative, all around nice lady Bari J ?

Well, people have been mean to her again. And she's not the only amazingly talented designer who I've heard of being mistreated.

Why? Why are these lovely ladies being insulted, criticized, and basically bullied?
I can't figure this out. It's just uncalled for.

Perhaps it's the same reason celebrities in Hollywood get vicious rumors spread. Perhaps it's jealousy. Perhaps it's just that there are some really insensitive people out there.

Whatever it is, please don't be the meanie.

(End Kasey's PSA of the day)

Quilt is on its way.

Mom came down for lunch today, and picked up the quilt to take back home with her. By tomorrow, my old classmate will have a little more comfort to wrap up with.
Cancer sucks. Writing a note to her, I started crying, part for her, and part missing my dad. I'm grateful for his "extra" 8 years- he fought for 10 when they initially predicted only 2- so I'm grateful for that, but if cancer were a person, I would be behind bars for murder. It makes me so angry to see good people have to suffer through such miserable disease. My dad had a great attitude, and truly LIVED rather than existed, but still.
F*** cancer.
I was too emotional to take a picture of the quilt. But I'm positive she'll feel the love when she sees it.

Hot, hot, hot.

It's been HOT! Hot enough I probably shouldn't have gone for a 4-mile run today, but I needed the mental victory of beating the heat since our half marathon is (EEK!) only 60 days away.

It's been so hot I've had the last two days off work since no one wants to golf when the heat is this oppressive.

So, I've been trying to finish this:

I got the lines quilted going one way, but then messed up the second perpendicular line, which was my sign that it's time to get some rest instead of pushing through. I have until Friday to send it back with my mom. It's backed in flannel, so it should be a good chemo quilt for my friend.

Do you ever have a day where you feel like you got nothing done, but then when you sit down and think about it, you've done a ton? Like sweeping, vacuuming,  basting and half-quilting a quilt, dusting, running, cooking dinner early so your husband could have some, tending the garden, playing with the dogs (Prudence has a love/hate relationship with the hose now), etc? I guess it's good I was so busy today- back to work tomorrow! It's going to be even hotter- I'll be glad to be in the clubhouse!

Words, words, more words

I wish I could plug a cord into my head and download all my ideas to show you. Then I could get some feedback, share the thought processes, and not FORGET THEM!

I promise pictures will be coming soon. I'm finishing a quilt for a girl I went to school with from kindergarten all the way through high school.... She started chemo today and I felt I had to make her a quilt. It needs to be finished asap, at the latest Friday so my mum can take it back up north.

And then I want to make another purse... and work on a growing quilt idea.... and maybe make another bag.... and some random things, like placemats.... :)

AND TAKE PICTURES so you're not so bored!

SPAM!

Is anyone else getting solicited about "special offers for bloggers like YOU"? I got one email that seemed legit, but still haven't responded to since I've been way too busy to be online much, but then today, after 48 hours internet-free, I find a "special offer" to run ads for some company that Gmail is convinced is spam (and I think I agree).
Now, I would not be opposed to having ads for fabric, quilting, etc running on my blog, if they were not obtrusive, and I could get paid in yardage. :D

I wouldn't even mind putting a button or two up for some of the really awesome fabric sites I stalk, especially if I ever bite the bullet and buy from them (still trying to decide what I would Do with all that lovely fabric I see).

But random companies of which I've never heard?

When I'm not even blogging much these days due to work?
(And probably won't be until the golf course slows down?)

Things like this are why the internet annoys me.... there are so many crooks and swindlers out there is becomes difficult to determine who is legit and who just wants to steal my identity or hack into my ever-growing digital photo album of the most adorable dogs in the world.

I guess my point is this:

I have no way of verifying the legitimacy of any unknown company, so for now, I will trust Gmail: if the Google Gods label you SPAM, then I shall have to agree rather than risk anything. Sorry.

Best.Toy.EVER

How did I go 2 weeks without remembering to blog? 

I blame work... and the nice weather...

and the Chuck it!!!

 Matt Lauer and I agree- BEST TOY EVER!

I throw the ball for him and Prudence without ever touching the nastiness.

Heaven for us all.

 I'm still sewing... here is my husband's placemat just before binding. It has since been finished and sits in contrasting glory next to mine.

 We also celebrated our 2nd anniversary yesterday. He got me another band (the bottom of them) so that I can take my solitaire off when running and stop tearing up my pinkie finger, but still have something one that says MARRIED: LEAVE ME ALONE.

I hate getting hit on... especially when I'm sweaty/hungry/tired/just want to be left to my own devices running.

But, we did run a 5K together yesterday, and I ran a new personal best- 26:11. I'm pretty happy about that. My husband ran his in just under 24 minutes, so we were both happy.

 I've found a way to combine sewing a running. Or at least I sewed something for running: An insulated bottle holder. Doesn't Prince Charming look like he's ready to go?

Finally, my newest table topper, which was finished just in time for the fourth- finished on Sunday, the 3rd to be exact! It's an original design, made with fabrics I bought when my MIL and grandma were here. I'm happy with how it turned out.

Enjoy the rest of the week- I had 2 days off, but it's back to work now.

Where is the time going?

LOOK! I finished the center of my Slow Roll Cotton Boll! (That's my name for mine.... since it's taken SO.LONG.)

...and we have been having some crazy storms... like the one that brought this hail 2 weeks ago.

And our friends' oldest turned 5, so she got a sock monkey

 And here are those napkins and coasters blogger refused to post...

 And the sock monkey got a quilt, of course, made from charms of a very pretty fabric line, but one that's just not my style, so it made it really, really easy to give to a 5 year old.

 And I made pillows- this is my favorite one. Just a simple slipcover, but they add so much more interest!

And, finally, here's my CRAZY placemat. My husband is getting his own in blues/greens, to be finished soon... as soon as I figure out how to quilt it. 

Can you believe this is only some of what I've been up to?

I've been working, too! I still love my job at the golf course- it's funny how I see people from back home, and then random famous people, too- like coaches of the Colts, past players, etc. Too bad I'm a BEARS FAN THROUGH AND THROUGH!!!

Speaking of work, I need to get to bed! 

Night, all!