WOW!
I didn't realize how long it has been since the last time I posted anything.  I find it amazing how life just happens and you get all caught up in it---- before you know it a year has gone by ---- and then two.  So many things, so many changes ------ some good some not so good.

I just got back from a month long trip to California.  My family was all together at my sons home in Thousand Oaks, not for the whole month! Yikes!!  We try to do this at least once a year usually at our home in Louisiana for a big Craw fish boil and Zydeco music!  This year we decided on a change of scenery, Disney Land, the beach, golf, swimming and lots of laughter, lots of tournaments, my kids are just a little competitive!  We decided to do a road trip so we did Santa Fe, the Grand Canyon and Vegas on the way out.  I think we will do this a little more often!  It is good for the soul.

I had many hours in which to think about things.  Of course my business came to mind, I am going to continue to design my wool but I am thinking of getting back to a few things that brought me to this point, like painting and drawing and creating Christmas.  I have always thought about doing a book with some simple designs, just something I have wanted to do.  I have talked about it for two years now so may be this year will be different.

These are afew of my new patterns for Christmas!

It has been a long time since I have been on here!  I can't beleive that the summer is over already!  I have been so busy this summer but the main reason I haven't been writting is --- I thought there was something wrong with my blog and I couldn't get it fixed.  I guess just staying off of it for awhile worked!  I have had a couple of great vacations that were much needed but now it is time to get back to work!  Over the next couple of weeks I will be posting some new patterns I am hoping to get my samples and patterns on my website soon!

Well I think I can finally get back to work for awhile! We just had our 2nd annual Craw fish Boil! What a group! Our son, his wife and two of his three daughters came from California. Our daughter, her husband and four kids came from Dallas. Our granddaughter, husband and baby came from Dallas and our daughter, husband and new baby came from Omaha! It was crazy once again! I am so thankful the weather was great, we could be outside all day and use the pool! What a life saver! The guys always seem to have golf matches, fishing, horse shoes and what ever else going on and the girls try to lay in the sun and take care of the kids! I told the girls next year we will have to plan a day of golf (shopping)! We always seem to make great memories! Can't wait for next year!

I have been on vacation for over a week now! If you haven't taken a vacation lately I highly recomend it! I don't remember when I took a true vacation. I usually have to drive so I can take all of my work stuff with me and fill orders, this time all I do is answer e-mails every morning to let people know I am on vacation! IT IS WONDERFUL!

My brother and his wife bought a place on the Florida coast that is wonderful! I brought my mom down here so she could see it. We have been shelling everyday and eating fabulous food everynight! We have been on his boat, seen Manatees in the wild along with the Dolphins and of course Aligators! My brother and I get up early some mornings to take photos of the sunrise. My family can't get together without some type of competition (you could say we are a little competitive) so it is Boggle every night! My Mom, being a crossword puzzle person, wins most of the time!

A vacation renews your mind and gives you time to really step back and take a good look at what you are doing. I hope to get home and start working on new designs and the book I have been talking about!

Today my brother gave me a key for their new place, I do plan on doing this again in August. I am going to start stepping away from things a little more often so I can start working on becoming the best I can be! I think in order to be truly creative you have to go out and experiance new things and just enjoy this life - for life is for enjoying!

Back in Des Moines! Mom and I have already been out and about! We really hit the jackpot on the wool! We spent most of yesterday afternoon and into the evening felting all of our new fabric!! We found a Quilt shop in Des Moines, Creekside Quilting, that neither one of us had ever been to before. It is a very nice shop with a very large inventory! Mom, bless her heart, found a few pieces of fabric that she had to have! My mom has enough fabric to open TWO fabric stores, but she didn't think she had those fabrics! We will be busy cutting and sewing today. I have a few new ideas for fall and Christmas and then I will in earnest continue to try and put a book together. This will be a new adventure for me. I have never tried to do this before so it will be trial and error.

I am spending time with my daughter and new grand baby in Omaha for a few days. So much fun to see how she has changed since Christmas! I came up for my mom's birthday! My sister and I took my mom and her best friend of 56 years to the Historical Museum in Des Moines for an exhibit of antique Crazy quilts. I wish I was at home so I could upload the photos because these quilts were amazing! There was only one that was dated 1903 the rest were all done in the 1800's. I wanted to just sit there with them on my lap and run my hands over them but of course you couldn't touch them. The old fabrics were wonderful but the stitching was absolutely beautiful! I came away with many new ideas! While in Omaha I got to attend another quilt show of wonderful old quilts. there weren't any crazy Quilts but still beautiful! I will be going back to Des Moines soon and have lot's to do there before I head home! Mom will be coming home with me and I am sure we will have lots of fun stopping at shops along the way!