Movie Time, Family Time, Friend Time and Quilty Box Drawing Time!

THIS Quilty Box of Beauty is being drawn for this morning!

It’s got everything you need to set you on your own English Paper Piecing journey with fabric, thread, hexagon template, paper pieces and Bundles of Inspiration magazine to get you started.

once you fall in love with EPP there is no turning back!

The original post for this gift-away contains all of the details about the products and fabric collection designer, Elizabeth Olwen. 

Now we can get all of that gorgeous fabric and other goodies in this box on their way to their new destination:

Who is entry 961 out of 4450 entries?

Pam Mahoney!

Pam, I’ve sent an email to the address you provided with your entry.  Please reply with your shipping information so I can have the kind folks at Quilty Box get your prize box off to you!

These fabrics are delicious! Have fun with them!

Be watching for another Gift-Away to happen soon!

Have you ever had to force yourself to unwind and relax?  That’s just how I’m feeling right now. 

I’ve been looking forward to a few days to do little more than hang with family, catch up with friends – but I still feel like we are GO GO GO GO to fit it all in.

Still, it’s great – but I have a very active family who are always “What do we want to do? Let’s make a plan, what time should we leave to be there?”  And my head is just spinning!

But when you come this far – of COURSE you are going to contact and make time for those people that you don’t get to see on a regular basis. You WANT to see them – because who knows when you next will?

I guess there IS such a thing as  un-plugged and busy – because that is how my day went down yesterday.

Brunch out with the Chandler girls!

Next to me is Angela, or Andee as she is called.  She is one of my highly esteemed moderators for our Quiltville’s Open Studio group on Facebook,  and I wouldn't be able to manage the more than 77,000 quilters by myself. 

It’s not easy – and it takes a lot of time to scan the posts, address problems on flagged posts and make the decisions whether something is appropriate to the group or not.

We know that feelings like feathers get ruffled – sometimes it means turning comments OFF on a post so that flames aren’t fanned further.  Sometimes it means contacting a poster as to why her post was removed for breaking rules.

No one likes to be the “bad guy” or be labeled as “quilt police.” But in this case, I came up lucky because both Andee (Currently on Arizona time) and Irene (Currently on Kentucky time) VOLUNTEER their time to moderate Quiltville’s Open Studio while both working full time jobs of their own.

They’ve dealt with SO MUCH – especially during mystery season.  So I am so glad that yesterday’s big event was joining Andee, Kathy and Becky for breakfast.

Thank you so much for all you do, Andee!

Movie Binge with Dad!

Since I was a little girl – movie afternoon has always been a highlight of daddy/daughter time.

During the months when we are apart, Dad and I take great care in seeing what movies will be available when we ARE together so we can sneak away in the middle of the afternoon and indulge in a matinee.  It always feels more “playing hooky” to spend an afternoon at the movies.

When I arrived in Sun Lakes on Saturday evening after my teaching time in Phoenix was done, we pulled out the listings of the newly released films to see what would work for us.  Even though Jumanji 3, The Next Level had been out for a bit – I hadn’t seen it, nor had I seen the precursor – Jumanji 2, Welcome to the Jungle.

Welcome to the Jungle was available on Hulu as a rental, so we watched that in preparation for The Next Level – so glad we did!

I loved the first Robin Williams version of the movie – really wasn’t interested at all in these modern versions – but we had so much fun.  They were entertaining even if a bit predictable, but isn’t that the whole thing about happy endings? You want it to be a bit predictable, and you want it to end well.  These two did.

Highly recommended!

After the movie, we came straight over to my sister-in-law’s house for a big family birthday dinner.

And I didn’t think of picking up my phone to take photos – not even once.

I played with my newest great niece Atley and great nephew Harrison.  I talked to my nieces and nephews and their spouses. We made dinner – we had cake and ice cream, we played games around the table -

And my phone stayed in the other room the entire time – where it belonged.

And I have not pulled out my busy bag to sew a single stitch since I arrived in Arizona.

And that’s okay!

Last night Sharolyn and I went through some of Mark’s clothes deciding which would be made into quilts.  The t-shirts may become throw quilts for the grand babies to lug around.  The woven shirts may first become a quilt for Sharolyn to wrap up in and we will see what fabrics are left over to make something for the grown kids.

The golf shirts? Not sure what to do with that slinky stuff yet.  But we will see.

And we are planning a trip for her to come out in June while her daughter is at camp – just to spend a few days. I’d love to have her visit me in Virginia.

And that is where I stand right now -

Taking a break with family.

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

After several days of busier than busy, it takes effort to just unwind, relax, and just enjoy being with family.

That's how I plan on spending the next few days before flying home from Arizona.

Stop the over thinking, and just be in the moment!

Have a wonderful Monday, everyone!