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. 

Still no sympathy!

The feeling of Christmas is definately in the air... I notice that all of my bloggy friends are showing pics of their house and tree and lights and packages all wrapped and tied up in bows.  Also pics of all their projects they have worked on and finished...
No, not me...
Yes, this is the 20th day of December!!!
No, I do not have my shopping finished.
No, I do not have cards written and mailed.
No, I do not have decorations out - well, unless you count the tree that is artificial, still in the box, sitting on the middle of the living room carpet.
No, on the baking, cooking, cleaning.
No, I am not prepared for Christmas.
Yes, I am just back from my caribbean island vacation.
(I tried to send you some cyber, calming, island-paradise thoughts - did it work?)
Anyway, not a single person so far has offered one bit of sympathy that I have none of the above accomplished.  And this is because I was on a balmy island vacation instead?  No sympathy at all.  I really don't understand.  Crunch time is crunch time, isn't it?
So here are just a few of my pics from last week - I don't want to bore you with too many, so here goes:
Day one - Cayman Island, East End District: My relaxation on the beach

Day two - me at the island waterfall pool.

Day 3 - Me chillin' at the Grand Pool

Day Four - me at Rum Point for a semi-cloudy but beautiful sunset.

Day Five - Another day of sunset at Rum Point after a day of snorkeling and swimming with the stingrays.

Day Six -  Sunrise on the East End in front of our piece of paradise

Day Seven:  lunch ordered in the waterfall pool. Me, Sweetie, Terri, Rick.

We all decided that we do not EVER want our house painted this color, even if it ever comes back in style!!!

Then I took some pics of the local Christmas decor. The car on the left is in a sandy pull-off where we stopped to snorkle and saw a couple of sea turtles.  The picture on the right is at one of the locally owned and operated little bar/restuarants on the East End.  Great food, not so great Christmas decor... maybe I'm not doing so badly in that department after all!

So these were my pictures this week to share with all my bloggy friends out there to show how I am doing getting ready for Christmas.  I know they are not the usual tree, decorations, cookies, nothing wrapped and tied up with bows.  NOT very holiday at all. 

 But I think you "Get the Picture" .

A whole week of Totally relaxing!

TOTALLY worth it!

Happy five days before Christmas!!!

It's the most re-lax-ing time of year...to the tune of "The most wonderful time of the year" by Andy Williams

My sweetie is really a sweetie...he is SO sweet, he planned a trip recently to go to an island.   An island located in the far Western Caribbean, 480 miles south of Miami, 150 miles south of Cuba.  An island that is a British territory.  An island that only occupies 76 square miles, is approximately 22 miles long and 8 miles at its widest point, with a maximum elevation of 79.77 feet.  The average temperature in the winter is 75 degrees Fahrenheit.   This island is also hassle-free with no street vendors, allowing a peaceful and pleasant visit as well as the freedom to wander and enjoy the sights, sounds and capital.  It also possesses some of the best cooking and shopping in the Caribbean. The island is one of the safest in the Caribbean boasting a very low crime rate. 
Does this not sound wonderful beyond wonderful???
No plans .......
No plans except for sun screen and relaxation...
Sun screen and relaxation on the island paradise of Grand Cayman.
No plans except for sitting on the pure, white beach in the dappled shade of a Silver Thatch Palm, next to the clear blue, warm Caribbean water.
Or, sitting in the shade of a very large umbrella and having iced-teas brought to you poolside.
Or, lunch poolside, reading the latest novel.
Or, snorkeling anywhere around the entire island, in the clear blue gently lapping waves of the western Caribbean.
Cooking minor meals if wanted, or sitting in a nice, local, little hut and ordering the fresh catch of the day.
Maybe a little visit to the stingrays, or the Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Park and the endangered blue Iguanas, or Turtle Farm, or local artisans, maybe even catch the Lighted Boat Christmas Parade and welcome Santa to the island.
Total relaxation.
Total relaxation of body. 
Mind relaxation?  Yeah, not so much!!! 
It's the most re-lax-ing time of year...
to the tune of "The most wonderful time of the year"
by Andy Williams.The draw-back you ask?????
That would be the time period of the planned trip:
My mind will be going round and round and round and round and round.
My mind will be thinking about all that should be done:  two weeks before Christmas.
TWO stinkin' WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!
Now, I don't want to sound ungrateful. 
And, really, I am not whining. 
But, TWO WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!
And, have I mentioned that it is TWO stinkin' WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!?
I can tell, you are not on my side with this.  You think I am whining.   
You think I should just drop everything and just let go.
I am doing deep breathing right now, preparing myself for the onslaught of anxiety. 
I can do this. 
I will do this. 
I WILL be prepared for Christmas before we leave. 
I will have most of my shopping done. 
I will have everything some things checked off my lists:  cookies baked and frozen, breads baked and frozen, holiday meals planned and meats in the freezer, all pantry items pre-purchased and stocked and checked off, cleaning done (oh, who am I kidding, cleaning will happen if it happens!), cards may be sent as New Year's cards if at all.  Don't really need to finish the quilty gifts before Christmas...they can be New Year's gifts, or added to WIP list.  Take going to cut down live tree off the list and the artificial tree can go up whenever.  Not all the decorations have to come out.  Oh, yea, I am feeling a little better.  Thanks for talking me through this.
It's the most re-lax-ing time of year...
When I am back from relaxing on the beach,
I will just need to go pick up some fresh fruits and veggies and thaw out some things. 
The more I think about it,
with your help and after making this little list,
this IS going to work. 
Simplify.  
Snowballs and other projects can wait until January, don't you think??
R and R...that's what we all need this time of year. 
 I'm going for it. 
And I will be thinking of you. 
I will try to send you some cyber, calming, island-paradise thoughts. 
Can you feel it?