A. W. O. L. - no longer

I really haven't gone A.W.O.L. 

January turned out a lot busier than I had anticipated, planned for or even expected.

I worked several days, not that I'll mind the pay check when it arrives. My schedule and routine are all out of whack. I'm trying to take it a day at a time, and honestly all I can do because every time I plan something - it changes.

My last post finished up 2018. Did it go as quickly for you as it did for me? And January doesn't seem to be slowing down any either.

I have been trying to take advantage of whatever time I have to work on my projects. After all, I have UFOs and new projects I want to work on and finish.

I started the year with a new stitchery project. I haven't been very faithful to it, but plan on rectifying it in the next week.

This is called Within an Inch of My Life.

The link is for the Facebook page and is hosted by Michelle May of Raspberry Rabbits (linked directly to blog and all the other information you may need about the project).

I have all my supplies together in a box, I just have to find the motivation in the evenings when all I want to do is sit and stare, to do some stitching.

 

Next up an art project for 4 and 5 year old preschoolers at my Bible study. The leaders meet on Monday and many of the students volunteer on Mondays to help with childcare while the leaders are meeting and training for the study. I was asked to be an alternating leader on Mondays. It's been decided to make the morning a little more structured with projects and activities. This is my first week and decided to do a morning of snowmen. The children loved them. Along with this, we had a snack, did some singing, a couple of games and some books to read. The children were permitted some free play time, but we are keeping the time short and at the beginning and end of the morning when children are dropped off and picked up. 

I found these sweet charm packs on clearance at Bunny Hill Designs. They are going to go into another baby quilt. Don't you just love the packaging? So sweet.

 

I had my sewing class this week. Don't you just love when you like the back of your work as much as the front? This is a machine applique class an these are this month's blocks. 

I'm almost finished with the class. A quilt finishing class has been scheduled for the beginning of March. It's an extra charge, so I don't know if I'll take it or just finish on my own. I have the layout and can figure out how it's done just from the picture. Initially, I wanted to take it just because I could. We'll see what happens.

And then there is our lovely, unpredictable weather :)

 

2018 ended warm and rainy. My backyard was/is a mud pit. I really don't like that.

Sugar doesn't mind, as long as she can get out and RUN !!!

We had snow at the beginning of December. Now, almost exactly a month later, we got snow again !!! With it has come really cold temperatures. A recent weather report claimed that we have a deficit of 17 inches of snow !!! We haven't had a really good freeze and that needs to happen for insect control and apples and a whole slew of other garden related things.

It's so cold that even with the furnace running well and regularly (I'm going to hate seeing my gas bill this month !!!), the house still feels really cold.

I hope everyone's new year is started out healthy and uneventful. I'm going to spend the rest of my weekend trying to catch up on a few things that I've been wanting to get to.

Stitching . . . sewing . . . reading . . .  the chores are current. It's just the fun stuff that has gotten behind already this year.

Wishing you a day filled with things that keep and make you happy.

I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.

Psalm 130:5 NIVUK