New York is just a memory now. We made our plans, we stayed at Pari's place in the middle of down town Manhattan. Another recommendation if you are going to NYC, splurge on a city hotel. We've also done the cheap route for a week and gotten a hotel in Pennsylvania and rode the train in every day to save some money, and if you must, you must, but, it's so nice to able to walk from place to place. We were a block from the Moma and the Folk Art Museum. While my DH was in a conference I was able to spend blissful hours in both. Here in Louisville, we have a great museum, called the Speed Museum. I don't take the time to visit it as often as I should. It's had quite a lot of wonderful visiting displays and now I am resolved to get my share of culture in the local museum more often. Back to our life in the routine of Crestwood, Kentucky, USA. Like a comfortable pair of fuzzy socks and a cozy jogging suit to wear, life in the routine is pretty nice. That's another benefit of going away, it makes you appreciate, just a little more, your life at home. I like to travel and the anticipation of it is so very exciting. It's a bit like buying a new car, the shopping is sort of fun, until you actually buy it. Like traveling, the planning is the best. The actual travel can be exhausting but, then you've created some wonderful memories and expands your thinking about the world. It helps you see the bigger picture in life. Travel is where life is at, for me at least. Having experiences is most important.
Ah well, back to work and routine. I've finished making a quilt 
with my mom for my daughter Chelsea. 
Now I'm making these really cool bags for people in her geology club. Apparently, as a geologist, you need a field book and a bag to put them in. So, I've been designing and working on several types, trying to find a design that will meet all the needs of the students that choose to try one. Here's what I've come up with so far. We tried magnetic snaps, but there 
may be issues with compasses. So I picked up some velcro buttons that should do nicely. Then there is an issue with attaching them to the belt so I'm trying "D" Rings, like we have on backpacks.
It needs to be very sturdy and secure. If there are any other suggestion for improving this design, I'm all eyes...smile.
I've been out of town for a week, 
then, my mom from Oklahoma came to visit for a week. So I've not been able to catch up...until now. 
It's been a
nice day, in Kentucky. I've got to watch my new favorite series TV from the BBC called Ballykissangel. It's a drama/comedy, made in the 1990's, about a small town in Ireland. I was raised in a small town in Oklahoma, called Collinsville. There was only about 3000 people in it while I was young. I have very fond memories of the City Park and adventures of my goofy youth. Anyway, I've come to like the BBC and this show is from BBC Northern Ireland. If you are looking for a show with humor and no violence with an interesting story line, I recommend this. Over seas, I think they do a much better job of stories of real people on TV. Not plastic people, nips and tucks and boob jobs abound in American TV. I'll take bad teeth and a paunch any day...smile.
While watching my favorite show, I was able to finish a quilt for my DD #2, Chelsea.
I call it Paris Kitties, 
you can see from the fabric why. It's a super simple pattern from a book called Anka's Treasures. It's a really good book with uncomplicated quilts with fabric colors and choices I like. My mom and I pieced the top in under 3 hours and I was able to quilt
it in about the same time. I also love my quilting machine and making feathers on my machine 
is what I like to do best. I try to work them into any quilt I'm working on. Of course you know that's not always and option, as the quilt will tell you what kind of quilting it needs. Just lay it out on the bed or floor and you will begin to see what's needed for your quilting design. I've tried all types of marking tools and now I'm strictly a free motion gal. When you reach a certain point in free motion, it feels like painting. The faster you free motion quilt, the easier it is.
It's one of my daughter's favorite color combinations, pink and brown, so I hope she likes it.
All it needs is a label and it's off to Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA. For a college student that makes me smile, just thinking about her.
Does everyone have a place in there house where the like to take pictures of their quilts? 
I like to use my dining room. It has nice windows and a wooden floor that sort of frames the quilt.
One last thing, the leaves in Southern Indiana are at their peak for fall color. I also highly recommend a day trip for Kentuckiana folks. That means people on the boarder of our two states, call themselves that-Kentuckiana.
Leaving our house about 9:30, from Crestwood, my mom and I drove out hwy. 60 towards Shelbyville, KY to see all the beautiful horse farms. Three rail and four rail fences galore. In Shelbyville you catch hwy 64 west and after you cross into Indiana, stop at the rest area and pick up a travel map of Indiana. It's a unique map the has pictures and information about cool places to visit in an area. Also, get a brochure for the Schnitzlebank and the Monistery in Ferdinand. Get back in the car and drive to Ferdinand, Indiana and visit the Monastery there. It's a nunnery and a beautiful church to see. Then it's up the road to the Schnitzel Bank, where you can pig out on great German food-if you go, don't pass up the German fries and the coleslaw is the best I've ever had-very mild. Keep traveling to French Lick to see the restored resort and if you are inclined, they have a casino. A half a block down the road is the West Baden Springs. It's a marvel of architecture. It used to house the Ringling Bros. circus in the winter-you'll understand once you walk inside. There's also beautiful grounds to walk around. Next, quilters, head on over to Salem, Indiana and see Craft Town. It's a wonderful old fashioned looking quilt shop, found in the town square with a limestone courthouse that anchors it. All along the way, you will see some spectacular fall leaf color, probably for a few more days-so get out there.
with my mom for my daughter Chelsea. 
Now I'm making these really cool bags for people in her geology club. Apparently, as a geologist, you need a field book and a bag to put them in. So, I've been designing and working on several types, trying to find a design that will meet all the needs of the students that choose to try one. Here's what I've come up with so far. We tried magnetic snaps, but there 
may be issues with compasses. So I picked up some velcro buttons that should do nicely. Then there is an issue with attaching them to the belt so I'm trying "D" Rings, like we have on backpacks.
It needs to be very sturdy and secure. If there are any other suggestion for improving this design, I'm all eyes...smile.
