First Post

I guess this is a pretty typical first post.  Everyone seems to say they've been reading quilting blogs for a long time and finally decided to join in the fun!  And I guess everyone says it, because it's TRUE!

I started sewing as a kid in 4-H.  My mom was my leader, and I think one or the other of us was always sewing something.  I sewed and quilted (some) as a high school student (lots of cross stitch and embroidery then), a college student (had a roommate who made her own - very cool- clothes) and as a young new bride (some clothes, lots of stuff for our first apartment and QUILTS for friends babies). 

When my own daughter was born, almost 12 years ago, I stopped.  Just stopped.  Stopped sewing, stopped quilting, stopped crafting.  I made a few Halloween costumes and always found fun crafty stuff to do with the girls, but creativity for me -  Just. Stopped.

A year ago, I made the decision to leave the teaching job I'd had for a very long time.  I taught second grade at a Catholic school more than 30 miles from home.  I loved it.  I really did.  But I was spending hours (no exaggeration) on the road every day, and my school schedule meant that I was not available for my daughters' school events, and that they could not do some of the after school things they were interested in doing.

So,  I left.  I planned to sub in our area for a year and see what happened from there.  Good plan eh?  Some think not, but it made me happy to have TIME, precious TIME with my girls. 

Somewhere along the line I decided that since I had TIME I should start sewing again.  After all, I'd have "so much free time," right?  Ha!  Well, it hasn't worked out that way.  I spent last school year subbing for a month, then I began as a Special Ed aide in my daughters' school.  It was wonderful.  Everything about it (except the small paycheck) was a good fit for me, and unless something really big happens between now and September, I will be doing that again next school  year.

The schedule is much more conducive to family life.  I can take my kids to activities and doctor appointments, I can keep ahead of the laundry and grocery shopping, I can fulfill my duties on various committees and projects...but, um, yeah , so much for free time...

I have, honestly, over the last few months spent lots and lots of time looking at quilts on Pinterest and reading quilt blogs.  I love it all.  And, so I am trying to find bits of time every day to create my own quilts again.  Quilts for me, for family and for charity.  This will be a place to document them.  And, I hope to become a part of the incredible quilting community that is out there.  I eventually want to partake in swaps,  bees, BOM's...  it's all right up my alley.

Whew!  Lesson One:  No one likes long posts, right?  OK.  I will try to work on that. 

So, here's a picture of the little project I completed last week, just to jump start my quilting habits this summer.  It's just a happy little mug run made of bright, cheery scrappy pin-wheels. 

I do hope you'll visit again as I figure out how this blog thing works, and as I -hopefully- find some free time to sew!

Clearly, I need to practice taking blog-worthy photos...