Setting Sail Again...

I know that a lot of my sewing and quilting projects have fallen by the wayside over the last year or so.  I mentioned in my last post how the move sort of took over things for a while.  But I'm starting to get back into old (and new) projects again and I'm really enjoying myself!  Recently I finished one of the Ladies of the Sea blocks I've been hand appliqueing for so long.  This is the 15th ship I've completed.

I knew I'd started this ship over a year ago, but I was shocked when I looked back on my blog and learned it was actually just over 2 years ago!  I started this quilt in 2009 and although I've taken numerous breaks to work on other hand applique projects (mainly my Baltimore Halloween quilt), it is definitely my longest project to date.  Here are all of the blocks I've completed so far...

I've already started on the 16th and last ship.  I can only hope it doesn't take me nearly as long to finish.  If I work on it regularly, I can usually knock it out in a month or two, but honestly, this summer is already looking to be a very busy one so time will tell.

With my lack of posting over the last year, I've also neglected to share pictures of my furbabies.  In August it will be 3 years since Sam was diagnosed with kidney disease.  She's already beat the odds and lived longer than the vet said she should.  In fact, she has more energy and is more playful than she was before she got sick.  She's almost 16, but most days she's carrying around her baby in her mouth from place to place before kicking it's butt.  Go Sam!

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 

1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT)

Never Ever Will I...

On a recent episode of The Big Bang Theory, several of the show's characters (Leonard, Penny, Amy and Sheldon) were in a cabin in the woods playing a drinking game called 'Never Ever Have I'.  The premise of the game was that one person would start a sentence with 'Never Ever Have I...' and name something they had never done before.  If anyone else had actually done it, they would take a drink.  For example, if someone said 'Never Ever Have I jaywalked' and anyone else had ever jaywalked, they would take a drink.  I don't think it's a game I'd actually play (especially considering I don't drink), but I've been thinking about it off and on since the show aired.  I modified it a little for the title of this blog post.  'Never Ever Will I...'  The finish to that statement is 'Move Again!'

It's been about 9 months since I last blogged and even then it was very hit or miss.  Our recent move has pretty much consumed our lives for the last year plus.  We made the decision to move back in January of 2015, found house plans and a Lot in the Spring and started building at the start of Summer.  We moved into our new home just before Thanksgiving of last year, but the transition was anything but smooth.  We've been in the house for 6 months now and it's finally starting to feel like home.  So (God willing) NEVER EVER Will I Move Again!

We designed and built this house planning for it to be our retirement home.  With that in mind, we thought carefully about everything we put into it.  We downsized both the house and the lot and also made it a ranch.  A sewing space was very important so we combined a couple of rooms and a hallway to create a big enough space.  It's about 15' wide x 25' long.  Although the flooring and lighting were completed in the quilt room before we moved in, my husband installed the cabinets and countertops himself.  We looked at having our builder do it, but it cost 3x more than doing it ourselves.  With holidays and other setbacks, it took a little longer than I expected, but my sewing room is now completely finished and I LOVE IT!  Even more than the fabulous quilting space I had in our last house.  Here are a bunch of pictures walking clockwise around the room.  This first picture is taken from the entry way door...

And this is the view for the large window to the right of the TV.  The sun rises on the other side of the small lake in the morning and I get the best view from my red chair.

It feels great to finally get back to sewing.  I felt like I did far too little of it over the last year.  So far I've managed to get my Gravity quilt top sewn together in here.

In fact, I have so much inspiration now, I've pulled out half a dozen projects and I'm switching back and forth between them all!  It's really good to back...

“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.” 

Ephesians 3:16 (NLT)