Thanks for all the pajama pant love!  They were such a satisfying and fast project - I am sure there will be more.  Maybe even some for me!

Many of you asked about the fabric I used for Jane's pair.  I picked that up in Sarasota at Sew Worth It (thanks for telling me about that store, Celene!) along with some other goodies.

These are all part of Flutterby by Moda.  The pink and aqua ladybugs were bought for p.j. pants (I told you the idea was floating around in there for awhile!) and the others are half yard cuts I am going to use in various patchwork projects.  And maybe a skirt or two for the girls.

These beauties are part of the Cake Rock Beach collection by Joelle Hoverson, owner of Purl and Purl Patchwork in New York.  I was very excited to see these in person as I am not sure that any of my local fabric stores will carry them!  All of the prints are gorgeous with deep saturated colors - I have a feeling I will be ordering more of the collection from sometime soon.

These last pieces are from different collections - an Amy Butler print, the Joel Dewberry woodgrain I have wanted for awhile and a green polka dot from Moda.

OK, then....not sure if I will be back tomorrow or next week.  My right wrist is sporting a new accessory and it is really limiting my motions.  I'll just have to see if there is anything crafty I can do.  I'm thinking embroidery.  If not, then I guess it is time to get caught up in a good book.  Take care friends!

I'm sitting here thinking I should probably be packing our suitcases, but I don't want to.  We have had such a lovely time....it has been restful and relaxing and to top it off, the girls have been so agreeable.  And pretty nice to each other.  Kind of like a dream.  Additionally, I am not sure how I am going to fit everything in the bags.  You see, I picked up some new flip flops, a couple of skirts and fabric.  Too much fabric - well, kind of.  Can you have too much fabric?  Don't say yes.

While on vacation, I've been snooping around the net, reading your blogs, commenting a tad bit, not really too much, and dreading re-entry into normal life.  School is back in session on Monday and my big race is coming up in about two weeks.  I have a little injury so I am resting, trusting that it will be OK in time.  I have been working on checking number 2 off of my personal goal list since January.  And I will be really sad, probably devastated, if I cannot run.  I have an overnight trip to Chicago smashed in there and a family event the day after the race, too.

So I am predicting more quiet for a couple of weeks - here and elsewhere.  I'm not proclaiming a total break, but maybe a little siesta.  Back soon friends.

So far this vacation:

- we have been in the pool everyday.

- at one point, all four of us had our noses in good books.

- I went on a 7 mile run.  And I liked it.

- there have been margaritas every night.

- Fatty has golfed with his dad.

- I have started cutting a quilt with my mother-in-law.

- the girls have gone swimming in the dark.  twice.

- I have napped every afternoon.

The best part?  We still have four more days.

Bits of green found on Hill Road over the past couple of days.  I had to look hard, but it is there.  Hello spring greens!

So the weekend was great.  Juno was fantabulous.  Really.  Fatty and I went to our favorite Mexican joint then to the bookstore before the movie.  This is our standard date night and it has been a long time since we had one.  So good.  I like date night.  It just makes me happy.

During the day, I had my class on the Bernina Stitch Regulator (BSR).  Yes, I have a Bernina.  I know, I know...you all thought I had a Babylock.  Well, I do.  And as much as I love that machine, it has spent too much time in the shop within the past year.  I think that is because I use it for utilitarian, everyday sewing so much more than I use it for embroidery.  Anyhow, I have been on the look out for a back-up machine for awhile.  What I ended up with is now my primary machine, with the Ellageo taking back up status.  I got a great deal on the Bernina Aurora 430 back in November.  I didn't open the box until January.  I know that is plain crazy, but I just didn't have time for a learning curve with all the holiday gifts hanging over my head.

So I started the new year with a new machine.  And I love it.  I have been using it for my x quilt (5 x's down, 4 to go, in case you were wondering) and did my first batch of applique t-shirts on it without too many problems.  Good, right?  Well, after my BSR class, it is even better.  It is great.  I can now free motion quilt (which never worked so well on the Babylock).  Look and see:

It's not the best, but look!  I stitched a house with a tree free hand and then wrote with thread.  So cool!

I also drew a bicycle for fatty.  If you look closely, you can see my name upside down, stitched with a double needle.  Fun stuff, I tell you.

And here is some bobbin work - the fancy, glittery thread goes in the bobbin and you use regular thread up top.  So cool!  Glitter and loops, for you, Daria.

It is safe to say that I am addicted to the free motion thing now.  I need to practice a TON more, but then, watch out!  The project ideas are swimming in my head.  Of course, I am going to play it safe and use the walking foot for the string x quilt - I think it begs for straight lines.  Then it's pillows and potholders with free motion.  I can't wait!

Here I am - blogging in the afternoon again.  It's been a wonderfully long weekend.  The girls were out of school at noon on Thursday and they go back tomorrow morning.  Fatty and I took them on an overnight getaway Friday.  We went here.  It was incredibly fun and 24 hours away was just the right length of time.  We had friends for dinner last night and today the girls and I stayed in our p.j.'s until noon.

Jane put together a Playmobil set - all by herself.  Kate made lunch for the two of them (rice cakes with peanut butter, anyone?).  They cleaned the playroom and put their clothes away.  It was a nice change of pace.  They had no school and I pretty much had the day off.  That was a nice treat.

I am headed back to Telluride on Wednesday with some girlfriends for a long weekend.  I'm not sure if I will be around the blog or not.  Stay well friends.

I am in Telluride, with Fatty and the girls and part of my family.  The skiing is good - the snow is soft, but man, it is cold outside.  It has been a nice getaway so far and we have a few days left.  Christmas was wonderful with the exception of a very bad cold.  In fact, it was so good that not only did Santa come, but the tooth fairy paid Kate a visit too.  Both of my girls have lost teeth on Christmas.  Crazy, huh?

So 2007 is ending.....and, geographically speaking, I am right where I was when it began.  I'mlooking forward to 2008.  I have a mental list of resolutions that I plan on putting on paper in the next few days.  I also have some handmade gifts to share and some new knitting on the needles.  Lots of good stuff - well, at least I think so.

Happy New Year to you.  I just have a feeling that 2008 is going to begood - really good.

This is the prettiest fall we've had in years.  Really pretty.  The colors are rich and stunning, especially against gray skies.  I am trying to take pictures because I want to remember.

Enjoy your Thursday.