Beautiful feathers on the mug rug you mad for Lorchen, Nancy. And the fabric is fabulous! Well done, too, Lorchen, on the weight loss (not an easy task at our age so you must be very diligent) and your quilts traveling to Canada. Geneva, have fun with your new home and be sure to get it exactly how you want it--much less expensive now that remodeling later.

Lorchen--I would have a very difficult time putting anything on any of my lovelies. They are each a piece of art from my TQS family all around the world. Especially if I were eating shortbread cookies, nope best to leave them hanging like art in my studio.
As for your "little darling" and his "prank"--I work with the mentally disabled, learning disabled and emotional disabled at school too and I always wonder when the attack will happen. I have given those in the emotional disabled and the regular class rooms notice: if they assult me in any way--I WILL press charges. I will probably lose my job if I do, but there is no reason for them to get away with something, in school, that they will not be able to get away with in the real world. And yes, Rosemary, there are many who make excuses for them but since the law will not let me do to their parents what the parents think it is alright for the little darlings to do to me--I will not except those excuses.
Continued congratulations on the weight loss.
Geneva--congratulations to you on the new grandbaby.
And, speaking of grands--my little Eli came to visit last weekend. So let me tell you a story. Since he has been learning to talk--he has not been able to say grandma. I would say GRANDma to him and he would say MA-ga to me. So, we accepted this, not knowing if he was dyslexic or just couldn't hear the sound. He also does this with the word "Glasses". So, while visiting, the other grands were here too. My eldest daughter was in my studio working on her mug rug and Eli went in there to explore. He found my M & M's and asked for some. His auntie said he should go ask grandma. I am in the living room and I hear this darling (for really) little voice yelling GRANDMA! The little imp has been holding out on me. Was that because he didn't know who he was calling? Nope--he went right back to calling me Ma-ga as soon as he got his M & M's!

Lorchen, what beautiful mug rug from Nancy--part of me says don't use it but then the other part of me says "do" if it will be there for you to enjoy! I doubt you'd be spilling any precious single malt! Congratulations on your pieces going to Canada and would love to be at your presentation. How wonderful!

Congratulations on your retirement, Geneva--enjoy it and your new home! I'm a little behind again on mug rugs, but would love to swap with you, put me at the end of your list so I can get caught up though, please!

Nancy, that is a beauty! Lorchen, as to whether you should put a single malt on it or not - it really depends on how bad your drink problem is. If you are like me and have a drink problem where you occasionally spill your drink, then probably not. Congratulations on the quilts making it to the show in Canada. (But how did Ailsha Craig get to Canada - last I saw it was just outside Belfast Lough! ) And congratulations on your continued weight loss, inspirational!

Geneva, congratulations on the new grandson. How nice to have the family around for the weekend and having fun too. Good luck with the retirement and building a new home. How exciting for you and DH.

Snap up that offer! Geneva makes gorgeous mug rugs!!

Building your own home is a huge project. All the best. I bet the plans include a decent-sized sewing room and plenty of storage for fabric, right?!

Oh Lorchen! That nasty child should be made to sit in a corner for hours!
I hope you are feeling better and will not have any after affects.
And it is nice to see the kindness of others after something bad has happened.

Congratulations on your weight loss! You deserve to buy an extra yard of fabric!

I've been away a bit as some of my kids came out to CA from New Jersey to meet my new grandson Parker. Parker was born August 31st. We had a wonderful long weekend, with perfect weather, fun family times and lots of cuddling with the sweet baby!

Now it's back to work but not for long. I will retire 12-31-13 and can hardly wait. My husband and I have purchased 2 1/2 acres in West Richland Washington and are building a home. A new chapter in our lives.

Anyway, if someone would like to swap a mug rug, let me know. I have some time now that the weather is cooler.

Take care my friends,

Geneva

I have a question for all mug ruggers and lounge lizards:

Would you put a glass of single malt on this amazing piece of textile art???



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Nancy treated me not only to her triple-WOW quilting (just look at the back!!), but she used a piece of Skydyes fabric that she got when she went to a show taping and the guest was Mickey Lawler. Thank you so very much, Nancy!

And the very naughty but nice Nancy (the English teachers in school would be proud of me - such wonderful alliteration) also added some Halloween fabrics as a special treat. They have now gone and joined my other scary fabrics and I have put in my diary for the beginning of the 2014 summer holiday: 'Remember, Halloween! Play with fabrics!'

I always find it quite amazing how many fabics there are around. I guess it has something to do with the major fabric manufacturers producing two of three lines a year, and us quilters buying what we like and hoard it until we get around to using it. I had never seen the fabrics that Nancy sent me, and they are gooorgeous!

By the way.... I'm in the process of putting a talk together about all the quilted gems I have got but not made myself. The mug rugs will of course feature prominently, and so will little quilts that I treated myself to from Ami's website and auctions, plus various other 'bits and pieces', small big, some small from as far afield as Mongolia and Kurdistan. Lots of them have a story I can tell. I have got to have it ready for it's debut outing in mid-December when the quilt group I belong to has its Christmas meeting. Can't wait to share all my treasures, including a gorgeous 'wee' pin cushion that Ritzy made.

Oh, and before I forget it: I have just have confirmation that two of my quilts will travel to Canada and will be part of an exhibit at the Ailsa Craig show next year. So, if anybody goes to that show, say 'Hello' to my babies when the time comes.

Finally, weight keeps going down nice and slowly. I'm only 4 pounds off my 9th bowling ball. That will happen sometime before Christmas, and then I can enjoy the festive season, knowing that a few pounds gained will not be a tragedy, but simply part of life's rich tapestry. Bring on the cheeses and the single malt, and maybe some shortbread biscuits,...... dreaming already. In case you wonder, I have dropped 6 sizes in knickers, gone from a 48C to a 42B bra size, and my waist has decreased by 16 inches. I will soldier on.

Good night, friends!!

Wendy, I accept the accolade.

I'm looking forward to more sewing, quilting, and stitching over the Christmas holidays.

That was a kind gesture after such an awful thing happening to you. I do hope you get your equilibrium back.

I love your mug rugs they are such fun. Well done queen of cross stitch

Lorchen, I really feel sorry for you and hope you'll get over it soon and have no health issues because of that later on. The flowers were placed at the right time to the right lady. It's good to know that most children are very nice.

Lorchen wrote: That is truly heart-warming and thoughtful, Lorchen!

Renata, the thread is a King Tut from Superior.

I'm delighted the my two little Santas have reached their new homes.

Rosemary, you are right. The boy wrote the letter, but the OTT language shows adult help. I only took time off for the appointment with the doctor. I'm actually surprised that I haven't had more problems with 'physical assaults' in the 32 years that I have worked in education. It unfortunately comes with the territory.

Something happened today though that makes you realize that there are lots of good folks around: There is a boy in Y11 (so he has nothing to do with the little darling who assaulted me) who lives about 10 houses down the road from me. I have no contact with the family and never had any dealing with the boy, except for things like 'Good morning!' The mother knocked on my door this morning with a bunch of flowers. Her son had heard what had happened to me and they decided I deserved a little treat. Lovely!

Ha! Thanks Rosemary, my weird brain fread "framing" as something else, like "forming". Thank goodness!