Pickers, pickers, and more pickers!

Part of my beginning of the year work stuff is assessing my inventory and making updates. At the end of the year I stock up on all sorts of fun beads. I can't tell you how much I enjoy looking for the most unique, bold and fun stones and crystals to add to my line. I stalk the delivery drivers, not even waiting for them to get out of the truck before I am at their door, and am usually breaking open the boxes before I reach the office. This makes now - right now! - the perfect time to stock up on your favorite colors and pieces.

My most recent assembly marathon was thread pickers. These neat little gadgets are perfect for removing 'oops' stitches, counting out your starting place, and my cat thinks the ones without needles are the perfect toy. I've been told that they are helpful for English paper piecing, but I haven't tried it myself because I barely have time to stitch models as it is!

Speaking of stitching - I am doing that whenever I can! I've been asked to participate in the JCS Ornament Issue for 2018 and, as of tomorrow, my finished ornament will be in the mail. It is always a joy and an honor to be asked and I hope you enjoy my design as much I as do. I am working on a new Building Block and am 1/3 of the way done with the stitching. Another small design, in the line of MBT-160 Walk by Faith, MBT-176 Saved by Grace, and MBT-182 Love One Another, is stitched and ready to be framed. There are two more designs awaiting my stitching time and I hope they can all be released in mid-April. I have frames for all of them so the only thing holding me back is time.

We are experiencing a heavy snow storm this weekend and it is beautiful to look outside. My day yesterday was dedicated to all of the housework, just in case we lost power, and today I will go sledding and snowshoeing. We have had a very mild winter and I want to enjoy this snow as much as possible!

Yesterday we had a small crisis in our home. The coffee machine stopped working. For the last couple of years I have nursed her along, doing cleanses and updating parts to bring her back from the brink of death. I thought we had surely lost her yesterday when she wouldn't put out any water for tea. While deciding how long the mourning period would need to be I did a quick search and found a possible solution. With minor surgery (removing a few screws and tubes, and cleaning out a check valve) she is back to working and we should all be glad for that ;-)  My husband laughed as I did a cheer when she gave me clean, hot water, and then I followed up with a happy dance. Little joys.

Time for sledding... The snow is calling!