whew . . .

Whew: an exclamation: used to express surprise, relief, or a feeling of being very hot or tired.

Whew! I've been working this week. At a job. A real job. Well, out side of the home job. In an office. It amazes me how fast one gets used to NOT working in an office. LOL! I've been pinch hitting, so to speak, just for this week. It's been busy (and long hours), but I've enjoyed it! The office hours are 7:30 to 5:30, Monday thru Thursday. This makes for a very long day, but a short week!

This is one of the things I've been working on this week. Putting the Association on Facebook. Yay! 

I also had some very sweet visitors at work . . . 

My Merkel girls! Ellie was very impressed with the office space and even more impressed with the pens, pencils, markers, scissors and letter openers, just sitting in a jar on the desk, within reach.

She drew me a darling picture of her hand . . . 

Complete with a boo-boo on it. I love special art work!

I haven't had a lot of time to stitch this week (or last, or the week before), but I did finish piecing my antique rose.

I started it because one of the classes at our Quilt-In (in July) was making one of these with a special acrylic template. Since I love English paper piecing, I decided to try the same block, only use EPP to put it together (and to use my Michael Miller Fairy Frost fabrics to do it).

That was a lot of work! I love hand piecing, so I enjoyed it very much. I'm just not sure that I'd ever do more of this one . . . or what I'm going to do with what I've got! The card stock templates are still in the 'kite' shapes (hence the funky black thread lines running through it all). I will remove those as soon as I've decided what to do with it! Linking up to HeLP for Hexie-aholics!!

And finally, guess what?  I'm a *winner*!!  Whoohoo (vs Whew)!!!

Marsha (who is a fellow RVer) had a lovely giveaway over at her blog, Quilter in Motion, and I won a book by Heather Ross (fabric designer and so much more); How to Catch a Frog!  She also wrote How to Behave at a Tea Party, which is on my 'to be purchased' list!!

One more day.  I think I can, I think I can, I think I can . . .  Whew!

:)

best laid plans . . .

It was totally my intention to be able to post number 600 today, along with some sort of a design wall *and* a giveaway, but it's just not going to happen than way.

On Friday, a dear friend, mentor, and really, the man responsible for Todd and I becoming North American Mission Board missionaries, passed away very suddenly. Harold Sellers was the Director of Missions for our Madison Baptist Association. He was a very personable, witty, and godly man. Really, I think he may have been one of the biggest champions of our ministry and our work out here at the camp. When Todd and I were commissioned, I was so touched that he and Ron Lynch, the MBA Church Ministries Director, flew to Tampa for the service and took us to dinner afterwards. He always had a ready smile and kind word, and he constantly looked for ways to serve others. A very genuine, caring servant of the Gospel.

His funeral was today, and there's no doubt that he'll be much missed, just as there's no doubt he's praising in the presence of Jesus, now! As Paul says, "For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

Today was also the day to turn in our quilts for our Fanfare Quilt Show which starts Friday. I got up this morning and remembered I'd never tacked on the hanging sleeve for display. I was stitching on that in the car on the way to the funeral.

Add to it all my mobility has severely decreased due to the lack of ibuprofen or aleve! Tylenol is better than nothing, but it doesn't work on the swelling and pain like the other two can.

Ah well, this is post 598. Two more -- perhaps I'll have the presence of mind to post tomorrow, so I can share my fun giveaway on WEDNESDAY!

:)