Hearts & meet G.C. Blue Boy

In honor of Valentines Day and American Heart Awareness Month, I chose to make heart*** pincushions for the class I am teaching this weekend at a retreat that is in south-central Indiana, a four and a half hour drive(The retreat is at the Canyon Inn/McCormick's Creek State Park).  The class is to be a paper-piecing class, so I made up samples - one in red/white/blue, and the other in black/white, but both have red hearts.   I think they are both keepers.  (please, remind me that I said that when I grab one to give away as a gift!)  After making the samples, I made up fabric kits with the patterns enclosed.  I cut the fabrics the correct sizes & layed them out in the correct order.  This was done in an attempt to keep within the alloted time period for the class.  I figured a lot of time could be spent choosing fabrics, so let's just eliminate that!

  Do you recognize this guy?  Meet G.C. Blue Boy. (That's what I called him, he is really a Grand Cayman Blue Iguana.)  I met him on Grand Cayman Island.  He seemed friendly, and he posed very nicely for this picture, so I decided I would save a pic of him.  And, I put him here as a reminder to use Lizard Litter as my pin-cushion filler. 

 Lizard Litter.  Lizard Litter.  Lizard Litter. 

Ok, enough of that, but it is fun to say. 

Lizard Litter is crushed walnut shells that is used as, well,

litter for lizzards, other reptiles and I guess some birds, too. 

(It's in the pet litter section at discount or pet stores.)

If you haven't tried it for pin-cushion filler, then you need to.  It's much cleaner than sand, isn't as fine as sand, so doesn't sift through the fabric, and makes a nice, dense filler that's just the right weight to keep your cushion where you put it.  (Oh, it's also good to have on hand in your car emergency kit to use to sprinkle as traction in this nice weather we are having!).

Now that I am ready for the teaching part of this retreat,

I should gather up my stuff for the project on which I will be working. 

I have a plethora of 'started project' choices. 

I also have a plethora of 'new ideas' choices 

that I know I shouldn't start

but would really like to.

I think that I have the plethora narrowed down to just a handful. 

The one that's in the lead is the wedding gift

that needs to leave the house,

completely finished,

by March 6th. 

Yeah, I really should just take that one!

So wish me luck with the travel to the retreat.

There's supposed to be another big "snow event"

(yes, that's what the weathermen are calling it)

heading our way for the weekend. 

I definately would rather be snowed in in my home,

 than out somewhere four and a half hours west of here!

Quilting projects or not!

***thisHeart pattern was a freebie from a local quilt shop that has been gone for many, many years.  The pattern was much larger, maybe pillow size, but I decreased it and used it for teaching purposes. I don't know where the original pattern came from, but I think it may have been with a fabric line.  I know there was a pattern in The Quilt Maker magazine a couple of years ago that was very similar.