Second year of blogging, balancing

 Hip hip hooray, I have all the blocks pieced for one of the Hot for Chocolate quilts.  What a nice feeling.  It has motivated me to work harder on the second one, I have two rows of blocks pieced for that quilt. 

Which means, add some borders and I could be quilting them on the machine in a week...or two..

I am so confident that I dug out the backing fabric so I could wash it. 

Do you remember this fabric?  I got it on a super good price at the Crate and Barrel outlet.

I have ten or more yards of it!

I have it all in the washer right now.  As I look at the two pictures, it doesn't look as good as it does when they are side by side.

I am going to say they look much better when next to each other plus I really do like that fabric.  Yes, I know if I worked all the time on sewing, they would both be done.  But I am busy doing other things!

 I started my new job and working on the works of Isabel Allende has really got my brain on fire!  There is nothing like trying to understand the world view of another person to light up your head.  I enjoy teaching my two classes.

I also got my second photo book from Snapfish - it didn't arrive so I contacted them and they made me a second one and overnighted it PLUS gave me a credit for another photo book.  Isn't that amazing customer service.  I love really liking a company.

Speaking of really liking something, look at this delightful lamp!

I could not love it more, I really could not!

Yesterday my husband and I went to Cantigy gardens in Wheaton and afterwards I went to Serene Teaz and found this little cutie!

I have it on my desk and I am looking at it right now.

Plus, I have gotten back into the indoor pool, my buddies from Aqua Exercise are meeting me even though I can't be in class due to my job.  Those are good buddies!

Why am I writing all of this?  So you know why I am only done with one quilt top.  Quilters cannot just quilt, they have to have balanced lives!  Being a retired teacher sure helps with my balance.

I have tried to balance writing the blog as well.  I have now been at this for a bit over a year.  (Happy blog bday to me!)  At first, I did it every day!  Then five days a week!  Then three days a week and now I am aiming for once a week.  I love musing about my quilts and showing them off but I have to balance it with the rest of my life.  Plus, heck, no one but my husband has read all of my entries, you can just go back and read old ones if you want more entries.

I will write again in about a week or when I get that second top pieced, whichever happens first.  In the meantime, try to keep your life in balance and make a quilt of all the things in life that light up your brain.  Or your desk, as in the case of my cutest ever tea pot lamp!

Sew happy!