Swap Stuff, "Envies", and Books

This winter sucks!  What else can I say?  I can't remember a worse January in my life!  (And that's saying a lot because I'm no spring chicken!)  Usually I hate February because it seems by then that winter is so long......but this year, January by far takes the cake!  I so envy all of you who live in warmer places!!  Our temps are supposed to be -46 degrees on Monday and Tuesday with the wind chill factor.  Schools are already called off.  E-gads!  

Good thing we had a swap to keep me thinking of winter, huh?  The theme was "Snow".....(like I need more of that????)  Anyway, here is what I sent to my partner.  It ended up at approximately 8x11 inches: 

Then, in return, I got this darling quilt from, "Fun & Comfort Quilts".  You can't see it well, but she quilted snowflakes in the background.  So cute!  Thank you, Karen, I love it!

Naturally, I continue to send out envelopes.....although not as many lately.  I really should come up with another "Walter/Barbara" saga, I suppose.  That might be fun to pass the winter!  Believe it or not, I have several drawn, but not a story in my head yet.  I should think about that!  My dear niece continues to get weekly books. 

And lastly, I continue to read.....and I must admit, I truly am enjoying every minute.  It's been years since I've read this much and I guess I must have missed it!  Out of the last group of books that I showed you on the last post, I finished reading, "Morning Glory" plus the new ones shown below.  

Out of the four, by far the best one was "Orphan Train".  I loved every word and wish I could find another just like it!  Little did I know that there really were orphan trains in the US years ago.  Wow!  I got it at Target...but read the reviews on Amazon for yourself.  You might love it too!

That's it for today!  Stay warm and do something fun!  Until next time..............

Books, etc.

Hi!  I've had a busy week.  I finally finished my mini quilt for the "SNOW" QT swap (which I'll be showing you next week) and I must admit that it was a hard one to send off.  The requirements require the quilt to be within 6x6 to 12x12 inch perimeters, so the one I made at 7 1/2 by 10 1/2 fit perfectly in the small space by my back door.  Right now I have a mug rug hanging there.  After it was done, I could have kicked myself for not making it earlier so I could look at it for awhile.  Duh!  That'll teach me!  Believe it or not, I even signed up for the next swap titled, "HOUSES" and I already have an idea of what I will do.

Like I told you last time, I have been reading!  Here is my stack so far (with another 6 in my Amazon cart waiting to be checked out).  After I was done taking this picture, I realized that I forgot one that I had finished this week titled, "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn.  It was the only hardcover and is already on my hubby's stack of books yet to be read.  I really enjoyed "Gone Girl", except for the end.  This is one  of the books on my list to read that was made into a movie for 2014 and it should be great!  I'm thinking the author probably ended the book with thoughts of a sequel movie for a follow-up novel.  Who knows?

I also finished the top one on the picture titled, "Where'd you Go, Bernadette", which was probably one of the funniest books I have ever read.  I loved it!!  I bought it on Friday afternoon and finished it Saturday.  (It's at most Target stores, if you're interested.)  The next book is, "Morning Glory".  I remember liking what I read in the reviews, so we'll see. 

Not too many envelopes sent out this week.  It's been snowing almost daily and then I stay home!  Not many post office runs for me, thank you!!  This winter has really been brutal and I hate to think that we have about 2 1/2 months to go yet.  Ugh!  No wonder I'm liking curling up with a good book.

So that's it!  Another week gone!  Hope yours was more exciting than mine!  Stay warm!

Branching off...........

See this:

It's a table, right?  Actually, it's my dining room table which has DUST on it....can you believe?  DUST????  I don't think this table has ever been cleaned off long enough ever before to collect dust.  AND.....I sort of like it like this way!  Not the dust, mind you (duh), but the table, cleaned off and tidy.  Sadly, this week will change things though as I promised to do a swap which needs to be sent out by the end of January and I haven't even started it yet.  Bad me!  I just don't feel like sewing for some reason.  Why is that, do you think?  I've been so busy with the envelopes and bidding on ebay (that's another story.......ugh!), that time is just escaping me lately.  Then too, as a New Year's gift to myself, I decided that this year I was once again going to become an avid reader.  I have always loved to read, and have basically kept up with my favorite authors like Grisham, Balducci, Lee Child, etc. all this time, but now I want to broaden my horizons and get into other venues too.  It seems that since I started quilting in the fall of 2008, that I haven't read as much as I used to and I miss it!  There was a time when I'd read over 100 books a year and that was when I was still working.......'course I didn't sew as much then either!!!  In fact, I probably hardly sewed a stitch, come to think of it!

Just this week I read, "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin

Our weather was so awful the early part of the week that when I finally could escape, I hightailed it to Target just to get some exercise and to check stuff out.  I walked the whole store, up and down the aisles, picking up things here and there and ended up in the book section where I think I spent almost an hour reading reviews and story preludes.  I knew I wanted to leave with something, but what?  Then I found that book.  I'm already happy...I mean, probably as much as most, maybe more than many.....I really don't need to be happier, I don't think, but always with a thirst of knowledge, I thought maybe I was missing something.  Besides, with my new "book reading" resolution for enlightenment, it was a good place to start.  Besides, it was a true story....and I usually only read fiction.

I must admit it was good, and made me smile many times, and I have gained some knowledge...so all in all, it was a great book to start with.  But that is only the beginning......ah-ha......Amazon loves me!  ('Course they loved me before, but believe me, they love me even more now since I just placed an order for 7 books for me, 6 for Audrey and 4 for my granddaughter........and plopped another two, for me, in my cart since I checked out last night).  Ugh!  Between that, and auctioning on ebay for mini lalaloopsy dolls for my granddaughter two days ago, my budget for 2014 is down the tubes already and it's only January 12th.  Remember, last time I told you I placed two orders with USPS for over $100 for stamps too.  E-gads!  I need to get out of this house!  It's been a long winter already and all my friends have flown the coop for Florida or other warmer places and I'm all alone.......even my sister and her hubby are gone.  They took a 12 day trip to (can you believe??) Egypt!!  It's no wonder I'm bored!!!

Oh well.....enough of that!!!  I would LOVE to know what you like to read though......so PLEASE, let me know your favorites.  In the meantime, these are the envelopes that you haven't seen yet:











So there you have it.....my week in a nutshell!  Hope yours wasn't as expensive!!  Until next time.....

Introducing Ladies #62 & #65, plus more,,,,

Happy New Year, my friends!  I hope you all are well and happy and that you had a nice start to 2014. I have been slow getting started, it seems.  This cold weather we've been having is making me "hunker down" and feel like hibernating.  One good thing though.......we have two new "ladies" to introduce to you.  These gals have wonderful daughter's who ordered them for their moms for Christmas presents and since Christmas is over, I may now show you.  (You will note that we have one lady missing yet from 2013....#64 who will be here after her birthday at the end of January.  She is still a surprise!  For now though, please meet our first lady, #62, Robynn:

And her original photo:

Next, we have lady #65, Pat.  Pat lives in the US...actually very close to my state (so the poor thing is probably getting hit with the very below normal temps too right about now.)  Her daughter sent me a photo and asked that I make her hair grey and a bit shorter than the photo:

And here is the photo I worked from:

Then, we have the envelopes that have been sent and received since the last time I posted.  (I must admit that envelopes is all I've been doing lately since winning that e-bay bunch of 29 books for Audrey.  They all need coordinating envelopes, doncha know???  The post office is loving me for all the online stamp orders I've been placing, too!)









As most of you know, the whole start to this fun envelope mail art started with my 5 year old great niece, Audrey.  I send books to her every week.  Well, for Christmas, I gave her a package of 50 washable markers, two drawing books, two huge drawing pads, and some already stamped and labeled envelopes just in case she ever wanted to send me some mail.  Well, I must tell you how thrilled I was this week to receive this darling pirate ship, with "dead pirate for shark bait", a smiling shark, pirate flags, and water to boot!

And on the other side, was this scary very pirate with peg leg and hook saying AAARRR!! 

Needless to say, it is on my refrigerator and I smile every time I walk by.  I'm so glad she is enjoying her gifts....perhaps I am creating another artist in the family, huh?  How cool would that be???