Home & Trying To Catch Up

Home.

 

Sleeping in my own bed.  Working from my usual spot.  Staring at the never ending To-Do list.  My world is back to it's normal level of chaos, just the way I like it.

Don't get me wrong, the cruise was absolutely wonderful.  The students were great, friendly and very enthusiastic.  Cat Nix and I had a delightful time both on and off duty.  Deb from Stitchin Heaven Travel did everything possible to make the trip enjoyable for all involved.  I would highly recommend traveling with them if you are ever in the mood for a sewing vacation.

We spent 8 nights on the ship, 3 days teaching, 4 days in various ports and one day on each end helping to set-up or tear-down sewing machines.  Not a bad work week.

I have some fabulous photos from the trip, but I wanted to share my snapshot of this artwork that was on the ship.  It is a huge mosaic style piece that was at least 8 by 10 feet mounted on the wall between decks 10 and 11.  I absolutely love it and I want one of my own.  Can you tell what it is?

 Maybe this will help.

It was really hard to zoom in and get a good photo, but those are spools of THREAD!  They are small spools of Dual Duty thread suspended on vertical wires.  Technically speaking it is a counted cross stitch pattern done with whole spools instead of tiny

X's.  I love that!  If any of you decide to make one yourself - I'll be happy to special order the thread for you!



After the cruise I returned home - an uneventful trip I might add - on Sunday evening.  Spent Monday through Thursday in the shop and Friday headed out to spend the weekend with a group of customers on a Sewing Retreat for another 3 days and 2 nights of sewing and eating. 

Spring had better arrive soon so that I can get back to running because by the end of the cruise trip I had taught everyone in our group to order their own dessert another one to share and a scoop of ice cream on the side.  There was no shortage of sugar energy in our group!   

Meanwhile  back at home the photos of the Winter Mystery are still rolling in.  Isn't this version beautiful!  I love the piano key border.  I'm also really impressed that the quilts are finished, quilted and have the binding - a scrappy binding in this case - completed.  I'm going to have to spend more time at home to catch up with all of you!