Friday, January 21, 2011

EXHAUSTED!!!

I have some quilt-y developments, but first, a peek into my work so you understand why I am so exhausted right now. I am the scholarship coordinator at the university where I work. We had 2327 applications for scholarships this year, and we had to narrow that number down to 200 finalists. Today was the day I had hoped to get the letters in the mail, and everyone in my office pulled together to make that happen. 207 signatures later...

I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Literally. Like the weight has been lifted but like the carrying of that weight for so long has left a permanent knot in my right shoulder blade. I'm headed to my room to lie down as soon as I finish this post. Or at least that's where I WISH I were headed. Instead, it is off to basketball practice for Jason, grocery shopping, and family movie night at the kids' school. When do I get to rest!?!

Anyway, if you are interested, you can read more about the process on our Admissions Blog. (which, by the way, was just named one of the Top 25 Admissions Blogs - who knew there was a ranking!?!) The posting the link will take you to is one I put up today titled, "Time to Stalk the Mailman!" (oh, man, looking at that now, I should have written "mail carrier". Drat! My sincere apologies to all the female mail carriers out there!)

So, understandably, my quilting time has been close to none. But I did manage to slip down to my sewing studio for an hour or so last night. I settled on my sashing strips and cornerstones and borders for the Cub Scout Quilt, all from my stash.

I had some pretty grandiose plans, but then reason took hold and I realized that with my quickly approaching deadline, it didn't have to be fancy. The colors are Blue and Gold because that is the name of the ceremony in February where this quilt will make its debut. I'm sure the colors signify something, but my mind is empty right now. I'll have to research that. Unless any of you know...Angela? Julie? Anyway, I've sewn together the rows of cornerstones and sashing that will go between the rows of blocks, but everything else is on hold until the kids color their blocks on Monday.

While digging out pre-cut scraps for the cornerstones, I found some pre-cut scraps of the fabric I needed to finish my first border around my little house from Beth, so I got a little stitching done on that, too.

I'm liking it, but not quite sure where I'll be going from here. I do like the golden fields that remind me so much of where I live in the fall and winter, so I'm sure that fabric will figure somewhere in my plans.

Bonus - while stitching those two small things together, I finished two more scrappy log cabin blocks. I'd love to finish making all those blocks this weekend so I can get it off my design wall and make room for my Bonnie Hunter style Virginia Bound quilt,

but we'll see. I need some rest this weekend, and I refuse to over-commit myself.

I do, however, commit myself to spending some time reading! All those books I ordered came in, and while I had already read 4 of them, I have 4 other new-to-me quilt fiction books stacked up next to my bed. I decided to start with The Fortune Quilt.

I'll let you know how it is!