We're Back!!

 My last post was 2 weeks ago telling you I was embarking on my first cruise and our first trip to Alaska. I really missed reading about and looking at all the Design Wall Monday projects but our trip was fantastic and I was surprised I didn't miss my computer at all! I was also surprised that I didn't get one stitch into all those applique squares I'd prepared for the trip! We were busy every minute with tours and interesting things to do. Highlights of the trip: Mt. McKinley (Denali to Alaskan's) "was out" and we saw her in all her grandure. Only 1/3 of travelers there see the 20,239 foot mountain because it's usually clouded over. I'd never been so moved--she really took my breath away. I also saw a lot of wonderful totem poles and learn a lot about them--something I've always been interested in doing.

I wanted to do something special for the lovely couple who organized this 11-day trip for our group of 30 (15 ship cabins) which certainly took a lot of time and effort. Everything was splendid and all we had to do was "write a check". They live in Connecticut and collect pinecones (and not just the kind that fall from trees!) so when I saw this fabric in one of the 5 quilt shops I visited on the trip, I new I would make a purse for her and a charge-cord organizer for him.

Next weekend is the block exchange for my Calendar Girls group and I can't wait! It's a whole day of show-and-tell, a gift exchange, lunch and goodies and then the exchange of blocks. Here are a couple of the 8 blocks I made. The theme we chose last December was "North Woods Winter". It could be any 9 1/2" block that depicted winter but not Christmas. I won't put them all up so they can remain a surprise and I'll show you the blocks I ended up with in next week's DWM.

Thanks to our wonderful blogging friend, Judy Laquidara for giving us Patchwork Times, my favorite means of inspiration.