Hey Toto, I Don't Think We're In Alabama Anymore!!

This is not your typical Alabama situation. 

We were taken unawares.  Expecting a dusting, we ended up with over two inches.  Roads iced over.  If I'd lived more than two miles from work, I'd never have made it home.  Many of my coworkers did not.  They ended up stranded in their cars, or thankfully several were able to stop once they realized there weren't gonna make it at homes of friends and coworkers, and in a couple of cases, with strangers (who were friends of friends of friends, sort of).

This is on my way home from work (at about the 1/2 mile mark of my adventure.  Another half mile down the road this SUV in front of me spun around and slid into a driveway.  Fortunately he slid right into the driveway (backwards) as if he'd purposed parked there, and after I an another car passed by he was able to resume his journey.

And thankfully there was NO traffic on the other side of the road ... hadn't been any, no tracks at all in the snow.  (No, I did not take a pic of that I was too busy driving, I am stopped when taking this pic - and yes, I did leave that much room between me and that vehicle because it's on a hill and I'm over-cautious that way, which is also what kept me from hitting him when he spun!)

This is my driveway as I was coming home. 

And just for some perspective, Hwy 280 is about 12 miles from me ... and my daughter had to manuever this roadway for about 1/2 mile to get from her business to the turnoff to go home.

My daughter left work at 11:40 am.  At 2:00pm she had gone less than three miles and was finally able to get to a church (in spite of this highway being a main thoroughfare, the road she was on, 3 miles away is very rural).  She was pushed up a hill by four guys who were helping each car get the added traction / momentum they needed to get up and over.  She pulled in at a church and stayed with some very nice ladies who were setting up to cook soup and prepare as a warming shelter for about two hours til a family member who drives a service truck was able to get to her and take her home.

We have seen sooooooooo many random acts of kindness by complete strangers in this mess.  The guys that helped my daughter on a rural road.  Drivers who were immobilized on the interstate helping each other keep safe and warm (letting strangers in your car to warm when theirs has run out of gas) ... in neighborhood areas folks were going out of their homes to give folks hot coffee, blankets, offers to let them come into their homes and get warm.

Now, I've had enough snow to last another 21 (or more) years.  

(Last time we had measurable snow was 1993.)

I received my order from fabric.com Monday, so I think I'm going to get back to work on this WIP this afternoon!

Help! I Need Pattern Ideas!!

I need pattern ideas for some of my 'near and dear to me' fabrics.  

My hero, Betty Boop.  :-)

I bought this fabric from Fat Quarter Shop.

 (15 fat quarters)

I bought this bundle (24 fat quarters) of Keep It Sassy from Green Fairy Quilts.  I'd been eyeing this line forever, but could only find odd and end pieces here and there until recently.

And this lovely bundle (half yards) of Norwegian Woods came from Stash Modern Fabrics.

I'm still way new to this quilting thing, and I need ideas for patterns that will showcase the fabrics. So far I've only made quilts that consist of squares (anywhere from 5" to 10") and one with half-hexies. 

For My Mom ...

My mom oooh'd and aaaaaah'd over the purse I made my DIL for Christmas, and hinted (well no, she said outright) that she wanted one ... so finally, here it is.  

Along with a couple of zipper pouches. 

I used this pattern / tutorial for the purse.

M M Monday ...

Just a little something to help me get through a Monday at work ... 

Working on a purse for my mom. 

(The colors are much richer than they look.  Crappy indoor lighting)

Even though I made her this one for her birthday in September .....

I now have to make her one like the one I made for my DIL for Christmas.  

She has told me about ten times since then that she needs one "that size".  In fact, if it had been for anyone other than my DIL my Mom might have taken it away from her! 

Linking up with Marelize for Anything Goes, and Randi at i have to say, and Connie at Free Motion By The River, and with Lee at Freshly Pieced.

Welcome 2014!

Here's to new projects!

I got this fabric in the mail a few weeks ago, but just didn't have time to break into it until last week. 

 The layout below is the one I've decided to go with.

It makes the best use of the squares I have, without having to purchase another charm pack. 

I am using this tutorial (but I used three charm packs instead of two). 

And, my most recent purchase from Fat Quarter Shop!  I got on the waiting list for this one so I could get it right away.  I don't know yet what I will make with it, but it will be for ME! 

This was Gabbie-Lou-Who's baby doll quilt.  I forgot to take a pic of it after it was finished.  I also forgot to take pics of the taggy/lovey thingies that I made for her baby doll and for *Sadie Mae.

This was a quick project I made for Gabbie at the last minute.  I made one for her house and one for my house.  

And these are two of the gifts I got from my kids.  Yes, the both got me the same thing, and neither knew the other had done so until I was opening gifts!  :-)

I also got this from my son.  I was so excited!  I had to keep slapping my dad's hands away from it til I could get it loaded into my car!  

I have used it, taken it apart and cleaned it, and put it back together (though I have to say the putting back together would've been much easier with three hands instead of two!)

Gabbie Lou doing a little sewing on NYE.

(She 'sews' with scraps, rulers, and pencils)

And of course, a happy baby picture! 

And her first taste of her MawMaw's (great grandmother's) mashed potatoes. They were a hit!  

Linking up with NTT this week!

*Sadie Mae's real name is Sadie Lynn.  But Gamma can call her whatever she wants, right?