Raleigh had her first ballet/tap class on Thursday.  She was so adorable and so excited to start her new dance class.  She was a little timid at first about going into the classroom.  I walked her to the door, she sat down right in front of the instructor and said "This is my first time."  I thought I had never seen or heard anything sweeter.  We may have a budding ballerina!

Today was the first Halloween Recipe Book class.  I had eight anxious women show up at my house bright and early excited to create this wonderful, fun book.  Well I say it's wonderful because I created it!!  I think everyone had a great time.  I even fed them lunch to keep up their energy so they could get their books completed.  Kim and her daughter Susan worked well together all day.  What a great bonding time.

Elaine & Kara seemed to stay right on task.  They both seemed to intense on what they were working on.

Tricia just has fun whatever class she takes.  I don't even remember what she was doing here but she was enjoying it or else saying you want me to do what???

Louise is Tricia's good friend and came all the way from northern Virginia just to take my classes.  Well, I would like to think that's why she came but it was actually to visit Tricia.  Good for her I scheduled classes because I knew she was coming!!

Leslie worked very methodically and added colored pencil embellishments to a lot of her pages.  I loved some of the accents that created.  A little artist!

Now of course Linda didn't want me to take her picture.  So of course I had to take her picture.  I always say that I am the only one that attends my classes that is in the witness protection program.  So all's fair in love and picture taking..............she was having a good time anyway, I think...........

We finally got a break in the weather today, in the mid-80's and low humidity.  I didn't know this until I walked out after class and was able to breathe the air.  How wonderful.  And the butterflies were just loving my butterfly bush.  They're so beautiful and graceful.  Snapped a bunch of pictures but here are a couple.  I just sort of followed this little guy all around.  He didn't seem to mind.

And look who's riding in my car!!!!  Found this guy at the flea market last weekend.  The pumpkin base lights up.  I just can't wait to put him on my front porch, maybe for the PUMPKIN PATCH PORCH SALE!!!  I got a lot of looks as I drove home from the flea market, but no more than when I put my vintage 50's stuffed Santa in the front seat at Christmas time.  Have to keep life interesting.

HAPPY LABOR DAY!

WOOL CRAZY, WOOL CRAZY, WOOL CRAZY!!!!!!!

I don't know how many of you know about the wool crazy craze, but here in Raleigh lots of women are making wool crazy blocks.  I had quite a few ladies in the classroom this weekend, working on their blocks.  Some are just starting and some are adding the appliques to the block, which is the MOST FUN!  So this blog is dedicated to my weekend wool crazy ladies.........

Uh-oh.....Sarah has gone wool scrap crazy.  We were pretending like she was sitting in a pile of leaves, wool leaves!

Jennifer is the latest addition to the wool crazy craze.  She got her block all layed out so now she will be caught up with the other groups and can start her appliques.

This was a sweet pincushion Ann was using during class.  Of course I couldn't resist a picture of a pumpkin!!!  I hinted that this would make a great gift for a certain teacher!!!!!!

We're still hot and humid in the south, 99 yesterday and 95 today, with Earl possibly attacking our coast tomorrow.  I just hope that if the hurricane does come to our coast, that we at least get a little rain and relief from the heat. 

All the ladies that are participating in the porch sale are busy creating lots of wonderful treasures.  Hope to see bunches of you in October!

I had a fun day with Raleigh on Thursday.  We started our morning by going to JoAnn Fabrics to buy some paper I needed for an upcoming class.  Well, we spent quite a bit of time in the Halloween aisles.  She loved looking at all the decorations and especially the dancing and singing creatures.  At one point we had a choir going on with all the singing.  I was afraid the manager might come back to see what was happening.  I finally got her away from Halloween, found the paper, only to end up looking at all the "beautiful" fabrics with her.  She just loved all the Halloween sparkly fabrics.  Quite a time we had.  Before we left the house Raleigh asked if she could play with my "little people" when we got home.  The "little people" are my Byers Carolers.  She loves to get them out, line them up for a visit to Santa, pose them. 

Raleigh hiding among the "little people".  She had the best time arranging them between the two bedrooms.  I walked in the room one time and she had them all on top of the ironing board with the head guy on the bed post conducting the choir.  Another time they were lined up to visit Santa.

Raleigh asked if I would take her picture.  I think she just wanted to do her cute little pose!

Big Sister Reagan just got home from school.  Couldn't leave her out of the pictures!  She strikes the pose also!!

Here's the conductor leading the choir on the ironing board!!  Too funny!

I remembered my camera for a recipe card class on Thursday night.  I never take pictures at those classes it seems.  So I forgot it the night before with the gingerbread man class (sorry ladies) but remembered it for card class.  Everyone was concentrating on their cards.

And here's the front of the card.  This recipe was for Picnic Banana Pudding.  A super yummy treat that you layer in a mason jar for serving.  A very vintage looking card this month.

Raleigh went to class with me for the first time ever.  I thought it would be fine since the card classes are normally over within a couple of hours.  And she especially wanted to go because she found out that three cats live at the house where I teach.  Raleigh loves cats and wants to be a veterinarian some day.  There is, however, also a doggy at the house that has a very loud bark.  That absolutely terrified Raleigh and she wrapped herself around my leg crying.  I was trying to figure out how to teach a class with a four year old wrapped around my leg.  I finally had a little talk with her, put a blanket on the floor with her coloring book and markers, and she was fine.  I felt so sorry for her.  She was so excited about visiting the cats and terrified of the dog.  But we got through it and she colored pictures for each of the ladies in class.  The funny thing to me was on the way home she told me she had the best time in the class and from now on she was going to all my classes with me.  OH MY!!!!

What can I say, no post for a week to two posts in one day!!  I'm excited and had to share.  I just put the back on my fall wool crazy block and wanted to share.  All I did was pillow the front to some brushed flannel.  The edges are so thick that I didn't think binding would work and I think I made the right decision.  Anyway, I love that it's finished now.

I can just see this on my kitchen table this fall.

Wonder what these are going to be??

Aren't they pretty!!

This has been another one of those super busy weeks.  Classes, girls, mini-trip, kits, porch sale, lots of things in the works.  Somedays I just stand in my workroom in a dazed state of confusion trying to figure out what to do first.  And usually that is grab a piece of dark chocolate and take a deep breath!!  I remembered to take a few pictures of classes this week and forgot some.  Sorry.

Leslie and Kim stopped by to make Red Cross pincushions. 

Kim added a pin to her pincushion that belonged to her grandmother.  I love that it now has a special place to be displayed.

And we discovered, while Leslie was stuffing her pincushion, that there was a small hole in the army blanket wool.  So we covered that with a heart and now her pincushion is even sweeter!

This is Ms. Debbie Lou's block.  She has started the applique part which I think is the most fun.  She got quite a bit laid out on her block.  I especially love the hand in the corner which is a tracing of her own hand.  She's going to add the words "Made by my hand" on the hand.  Love that idea!!

Three heads are better than one!!!!

Pat decided to make her block narrower and longer to fit a specific space.  Love the colors.  She's going to do a winter block.

Love the boldness of Kim's block.  She's going to turn this into a Christmas block.  I know she's going to have a great time with all those wonderful background wools to play with.  Good job Kim!

Poor Teresa started out wanting to do a fall block but I think a couple of us were coercing her into doing a Halloween block.  It could go either way or a combination of the two but it sure does look great.

For those of you that know Evette or have been praying for her son, he's out of the hospital and home recovering.  The hospital decided since both parents were going to be available for caregiving, they would release him a little sooner which was fine with him.  He's doing well, on a liquid or "blended" diet for eight weeks, will have therapy to deal with and is still have some struggles with pain and discomfort.  So please keep Cameron and the family in your prayers as they go through this life-changing event together.

I have been working on quite a few things for the porch sale as well as the other gals that are going to be involved.  I hope everyone is getting as excited as we are.  I showed a few things to Evette Sunday that I had finished and she squealed.  I think that was a good sign!!  Mark October 23 on your calendars!!!

We're having wonderful rain today.  Lots of wonderful rain.  Downpours of wonderful rain.  Some areas are flooding with the wonderful rain.  But it's still wonderful!!! 

Happy days to everyone.....................