Catching Up

I feel like I'm finally able to take a few breaths today. Life has been so busy. I guess I'm still adjusting to working full time. I'm counting my blessings, however. My job provides us with a little extra income, I am home when the boys are home and have off most of the same holidays and over the summer when they are off school. I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving. We have off Wednesday through Monday. Since I have off Wednesday and the boys do not, I'm able to participate in Nolan's Thanksgiving party at school. Being at my boys' school to volunteer is one of the things I miss most about not being home. Well, I made a pact with myself that I would clean the house when I got home yesterday so I would have time to sew today. We had the most wonderfully snowy day yesterday. The boys went outside to play while I cleaned the first floor. I moved furniture and everything. This morning I did a little more and then spent a few hours sewing. I'm hoping to get back into the sewing room later tonight.I'll share more pictures this week of some of my projects. This tote bag is for my Mother-in-law. Her birthday is in a few days. She and my Father-in-law are away for a week but are coming over for Thanksgiving so I'll give it to her then. She always has lots of books and papers that she is taking places (she teaches college and directs the choir at church) so I thought this would be useful. I really love the outside fabric. The lining is left over from my living room curtains. I used batting for the interlining which turned out great. I'm really pleased at how this turned out since I sort of eye-balled the size.I also started working on a quilt for my sister-in-law. I found this fabric on my last fabric outing with my friend, Paulette. My sister-in-law has a devotion to the Blessed Mother and I thought of her when I saw the fabric. I'm still working out the plan for the quilt but I'm excited about it. Her birthday is in the beginning of January so I may save the quilt for a birthday gift. I'm just not sure yet.

I am excited about a present I ordered from Alice. I have admired her artwork for quite a while and decided to order two sets of these for my mom and mother-in-law. I'm also planning to make a few of these for the women in my life and of course I've been making wristlets. I want to modify the wristlet pattern somehow to make holders for the boys' gameboys and cartridges. More on that if I get around to it.

Speaking of the boys....they are supposed to be cleaning their room. I better go make sure things are progressing as they are meant to. I want to make a quick stop to the craft and book stores this afternoon. Happy Saturday......