Well, we returned from our trip to Shreveport at least two inches shorter! Bless my Mom's heart, what a trooper! On Tuesday we left the motel at 9:30 and didn't get back until after 6:00 in the evening! We covered allot of ground, flea markets, antique shops, fabric stores and even a little clothes shopping! So glad to have a nice room to go back to and relax(sew). We were on the 16th floor overlooking the red river and downtown Shreveport what a view! Glad to be home, it only took an hour to unload the car when we got here! That was allot of wool to be hauling around in 80 degree weather, but what fun we had hunting for it! Now it is time to back to work!

Yesterday Mom and I happened upon a flea market in a small Louisiana town! I found two wool blankets and a wool shirt! JACKPOT! I love the hunt! It is so hard to find wool in the south I always think that it must come from a transplanted northerner like myself! I love having enough wool to create table runners and larger wall hangings but my true love is the hunt! I love hitting the resale shops and flea markets and coming home with old wool skirts, jackets, pants and blankets. I bring them home and throw them in the washer and dryer on the hottest settings, then I cut them apart. They always end up end up in the dye pot next, I just can't leave things alone! Today we will be going to Shreveport and hitting the shops there, I can't wait to see what treasures I will find! I am so glad to have my Mom to do this with, she has been doing this for years so I come by it naturally! This is a great and fun way to build up your wool stash so you can do all of the fun projects I am designing for you! Happy Hunting!

I have been working on several different new pieces and I don't have any far enough along to post pictures but maybe by the middle of next week! I just love working with the wool! So many wonderful textures and colors! It is as easy to work with as wool felt. Most of my patterns for wool can be used with wool felt and vise verse! Most of the patterns I am working on right now are Christmas patterns. I love Christmas!!! Yesterday my sister, who owns Prairie Star quilts in Elk Horn Iowa, sent me fabric. There was a note on a piece of fabric "Can you do something with this" I just love it when she does that! I am adding a link to her new web site!http://prairiestarquilts.com If you are ever inthe western part of Iowa I can assure you it is worth the trip!

Yesterday Mom and I worked all morning on my new Christmas Crazy I should have some new photos in the next couple of days. She sews for me while I design, I am not sure how much fun it is for her when I have her put something on and then decide I don't like it and she has to take it off and start again, Thanks Mom for your understanding! We took a break in the afternoon and planted tomatoes, squash, zucchini, peppers and several pots of herbs! I am a little late in getting them in so I hope they get growing before it get to hot!

It has been a wonderful week! Our son's wife and two of his three daughters were here from California and we spent Easter at my daughters house in Dallas. Our son is shooting a movie in Shreveport so it is nice having him close for awhile. What a houseful we had! My daughter has four children and then the other two WOW! there was always something going on! So now it is time to get back to work! I hope my mom is ready for this week of work because my mind is full of new ideas!

This is one of my Christmas Patterns! So easy that even my 10 year old Granddaughter Sydney from California made one! I am so glad to see her taking an interest in sewing! She even learned how to make a French knot, now she can teach me!!!

Mom and I are working hard to create a new wool crazy quilt piece. I love doing these! I tend to get hung up sometimes on putting the colors together. I have to remind myself that this is a crazy quilt piece and not to be too perfect! I like staying within a certain color pallet using 3, 5, or 7 colors that compliment each other. I will try and add a picture when we get the base put together and to post others along the way.

Finally Home! I always have mixed feelings coming home, it's good to be here but it always means leaving those who mean the most to me! I have much work to do to prepare for a trip to the Minneapolis Market in May. My Mom has come home with me to help me out I have many new designs in my head and it is time to get them on paper, my Mom will be doing allot of the sewing for me, she does the most beautiful work! We will take the day to get caught up on orders and make a plan for the next month and a half.