"Catch-up time" for this Craaaaazzzzy quilter!

I have some serious "catching-up" to do. I am glad that summer is ending and fall is just around the corner as I seem to be better organized come fall. Maybe it's the whole "time to go back to school" thing and while I am way past "going back to school", I plan my projects around a "September to May" schedule!
This past summer was sooooooo busy that when I look back and think of all that took place, I can hardly believe it! Doesn't seem possible that it was just last weekend that I was preparing to take off for another trip home to Iowa for my mother's birthday. I'm still going to share her great day but I'll do that tomorrow. Once I got back from Iowa, there were things to be done - cleaning, laundry, some volunteer stuff, and then our Scott County Crazy Quilter's annual summer picnic was this past Thursday evening. The food was good as usual - salads and lots of fresh veggies from the garden and, delicious desserts! So, we ate a healthy meal and then topped it off with a sampling of all the desserts! Next came "show and tell" and new member Sherry had some lovely pieces that she had been working on to show us. And then there's our oldest member who is so young at heart and we all enjoy her company "sew" much!!

Meet Lois..........

I snapped her picture just as she said "oh, wait, let me take this pin out of my mouth" and she blinked. I should have checked the pic I took and could have taken another one but I didn't. I want you to meet her though because she is such a delight! Lois is only 93 and she joined our group in 2002. She hadn't been at the last couple of meetings so we were all interested in what she had been up to over the summer months. Her reply? "Oh, I've been sewing and knitting, and stuff.........and every day just gets better!" She has the most positive attitude of anyone I have ever met. She inspires the rest of us with her smile, her interests in family and church and volunteer work, and showing us her latest projects and being interested in what we're doing. Again, I say, she is such a delight!!

I managed to sneak in a few stitches on recreating the Redwork pincushion so that I can post the pattern but had another "catch-up" item on my "to do" list that came first. It's these fancy little packages with the white lace bows that you see on my dining room table. Some time ago, Leslie, on the Yahoo crazy quilt group that I am in, mentioned that she was planning a retreat. Sounded lovely, but the dates and the distance didn't work but I sent her an e-mail and asked if she would like a little favor for her guests. She replied "yes, how lovely" and I said I have so much stuff that I cannot use it in my lifetime so I must share (or something like that). Her retreat is in two weeks so yesterday afternoon, I finally pulled together the little favor goodies that she can give to each retreat attendee. I found that lovely glitzy tulle at JoAnn's and cut ten circles from it, then ten circles from black satin. I laid them all out on the floor and then added bits of fabric and trims, gathered the circles around the goodies and tied them with the lace bows. Now everyone will have a little something fun to use in their crazy quilting endeavors. I put them in the mail to her yesterday afternoon so I am "caught up" on my "crazy quilting to do list".

After that, I got down on my hands and knees - no, not praying at that moment - just washing the kitchen floor. I had vacuumed and dusted, done laundry, etc. the day before and so with the floors clean, my housework is "caught up"! Soon the laundry will be done (I know, this all starts over again in a few days) and next I am headed to the basement to put away the paints and supplies that Jacob and I used while working on our masterpieces when he was here visiting. We won't be getting back to them until later in September when he comes to visit. Then my husband and I are going to do some landscaping plans. We have planted no plants, trees, or bushes since moving into our new house so it is time to get the place "green". With all things "caught-up", I plan to spend the next two days of the holiday weekend in my sewing room. Off I go to finish the "catching up" and will be back tomorrow to tell you about the birthday celebration and my sewing projects. Plus I'll take a photo of the Mystery Goodie Basket and it's contents. I was planning to send it, too, yesterday but wanted to add a couple more items and couldn't squeeze that in before the post office closed. It'll be in the mail to Kathy on Tuesday plus a couple little goodies for Diane and Sue. Thanks, bloggers, for posting to my blog and allowing me to have so much fun when I have only just begun this blogging thing!!! Have a greeeeeaaaaaattt weekend!!!

P.S. Just for those who are crazy quilters ...... there is one extra favor that could be sent to you if you leave a comment and tell me why you like crazy quilting and then tell me what crazy quilt project you are working on now. I'll take comments through lucky Sept. 7 and will draw a winner that evening at 7:00 p.m. :-)