Friday, October 29, 2010

Slowing down with some hand sewing and reading

This has been my first full week at home since Labor Day. Aaaahhhh! I thought I would spend lots of time in the sewing room with my machine and my fabric, but instead I have found myself hanging out with the boys, working on Halloween costumes and reading Halloween books and watching Halloween movies. Do you think they're excited about Halloween?

So, that means instead of a quilt top to show you, all I've managed to do this week is applique down two more scrappy plaid Dresden Plates.


It's going to be a busy Halloween weekend with pumpkin carving tonight, work tomorrow morning and a Halloween party tomorrow afternoon, plus a Halloween party and trick or treating on Sunday, but I really want to fire up the machine and do something that looks like progress. Check back on Sunday - I promise to have something to show!

I've also been doing a lot of reading lately. I love Emilie Richards' Shenandoah Album series of books, but I've read all of them and no new ones seem to be coming out anytime soon. Then I discovered her Ministry is Murder cozy mystery series - love it!!! I've finished the first two, and have the third at my bedside. And lucky me, she just published the 5th in the series, so I have a couple weeks of reading ahead of me. I also just read her book, Happiness Key, which I also enjoyed. I'm going to have to check out even more of her books!

I've completely run out of Beverly Connor's Lindsay Chamberlain mystery series. There were only 5 books, and I devoured them. I was an archaeology major in college, so these stories about a forensic anthropologist really appealed to me. The website says there's another book in the works, but I don't know how accurate that is. Beverly Connor has another longer series with another protagonist, Diane Fallon, also a forensic anthropologist, which I am going to try next.

And what have I been reading to my kids when I can distract them from Halloween? My two absolute favorite quilt books for kids, Sam Johnson and the Blue Ribbon Quilt

and The Quiltmaker's Gift.

If the young people in your life don't have these books, GET THEM! I love reading them, I love the artwork, I love the messages in both of them. They are wonderful!

And finally, I leave you with images of the two most special people in my life...

today is western wear day at school...


and who doesn't love hanging out in a wheelbarrow?

10 comments:

ms. mindless said...

i love their hats!

Cheryl Willis said...

wheelbarrows are probably the most underrate modes of transportation displayed in applique form.
Our kids spent many belly laughs in a moving wheelbarrow. (next favorite is a moving dolly!)

The Cozy Quilter said...

I LOVE The Quiltmaker's Gift! I read it to my daughter. I also have "Quilts from the Quiltmakers Gift"--both books. I have made a few quilts from those books. Your boys are so cute in their Western Wear. I hope they had a fun day!

Becky said...

I just read The Parting Glass by Emilie Richards last week! Loved it.
Those two cutie pies are just adorable! Enjoy your weekend!

Michelle said...

Love the children's books! They are fabulous. I'll have to check out the author you mentioned, sounds interesting. have a wonderful weekend! the boys look adorable!

Wilma Lee said...

I love to read and always have one book in the works. I read myself to sleep every night.

Shay said...

Little P is just starting to get interested in books. We are reading "Tails are not for pulling " at the moment since he has decided pulling the tail of a 99 pound dog is a fun thing to do. I'll keep those other books in mind.

Sounds like the other stuff on your agenda is far more important than hours of sewing for now. Enjoy Halloween!

Nancy said...

Thanks for mentioning that Emilie Richards has a new one out in the Ministry is Murder series. I just ordered Jennifer Chiaverini's Aloha Quilt and Quilter's Holiday, along with Claire Donohue's Drunkard's Path and Earline Fowler's State Fair. I am really behind in reading my quilting fiction. Also just picked up John Grisham's new book at Kroger - not my favorite bookstore but it was 40% off.

Love the boys' outfits, and nice that the schools let them dress up a bit sometimes.

I have some homespun fabrics cut for you and will try to mail the packet tomorrow.

Have a fun weekend!

Judi said...

I love the Quiltmaker's Gift and wheelbarrow rides are the best.

Lane said...

Looks like much fun was had! Try some of Emilie's other books. Prospect Street was wonderful and I'm almost done with Fox River and it's wonderful as well. Lane