I'm back...

still not completely recovered from the trip.
My allergies don't like nature...or apparently, square dancing, as I ended up covered in hives from touching folk wearing cologne.
Ugh. The dancing part was fun, the post dancing itching, not so much.
I'm sorry I don't have any pics to show you, but I didn't end up seeing the sunrise as I had camper duty on those who didn't want to go.
And my phone kept dying due to trying to find a signal.

I got home to find these things waiting for me:

My swap package from the For the Love of Solids swap:


I LOVE the colors, the pillow cover, the squirrel...the miniquilt. I giggled with delight. Seriously.


My scrap bag for the scrap bag challenge:



I started working on the prototype today:


The idea is to make a bunch of these and then lace them together.
What I've learned thus far: setting grommets sucks. It took almost 2 hours for 12. My prototype will have 40, as will the final project.
I also learned from my skill builder block (see below) that making fabric is fun, but that I'm going to have to be SUPER careful when making the actual belt's fabric out of the scraps.

I tried to catch up on Skill Builder today:


Still to do:
The school bee block (due Mon or Tues)---lots of handsewing on hand tomorrow
dad's quilt (fabric is here, going to try to finish the top at least tomorrow)
back of Across the Sea QAL (may table one and just try to finish one on the deadline set)
Mosaic for pincushion swap
Research design for a hoop swap

Debating the following:
joining SewHappyGeek's miniquilt swap
joining a bee that just lasts for Oct

Glad to be back, but, man, do I feel behind and that the catch up has a time lag.

Also, in other not so happy news, I'm personally not a huge prayer, but if you are or feel like sending happy thoughts to a friend, my dance partner of many years is facing surgery to see if she has lung cancer or not...not good...please send any healthy wishes/prayers her way. She's one of my favorite peeps and is the mama of two girls.