It's Been HOW Long???

OH MY!! I can't believe it has been almost an entire year since I have posted on my blog. It's funny how sometimes you get so busy, that you forget about other people and things that you should be doing.

I ended up having to get a new laptop. The screen on the first one cracked in the middle. I was able to take off the screen and connect a monitor to it, so it is still useful as a desktop. Most of my patterns are still on it and most of my pics and music too. So grateful that I didn't loose all that again like when the laptop's hard drive gave up.

I hope that everyone had a great Christmas holiday. I also hope that everyone has a wonderful New Year in 2013.

My oldest son (T) is getting married at the end of March, to a wonderful young woman (N). I have been asked to make her wedding dress!! I feel so honored. My kids and I have known N for several years and actually lost touch with her for a little while, but it sure is great to have her become a part of our family. We will be traveling to WV for the wedding, because that's where the majority of her family is. That's OK, I'm ready for a road trip, I think. I have been a home body for so long.

I have a couple of pics a preview of fabric for the wedding dress and a sneak peek of the quilt I am making for them. The quilt is a Scrappy one, although all the fabrics were going to be made into something else when I bought them. I'm glad they are now made into a quilt top.

This will be the top of the wedding gown I am making for N.
 It is going to be absolutely awesome!

I did tell the happy couple that this quilt was partly their Christmas and partly their wedding gifts. They were OK with that, considering all they got to see was a few fabric swatches sewn together as a representation of their quilt.

Can you tell if these pics are any better than the other pics here on my pages? I hope that these last few look tons better. I got a new camera and I am learning how to use the different settings so I can take great pictures of everything. Kevin laughs at me because I am always talking picturess. I guess he thought I was bluffing all the times I said "I wish I had a good camera."  Here's a pic of the inside of the windshieild on my Grandpa's truck...it was softly raining while we were eating hot dogs at a place called "Weiner Works" after a recent short road trip we went on...

Here is what was outside the truck...

I realize it is still a bit blurry, but I was so excited about using my camera, that I didn't use the manual focus. Could have been much worse looking. At our family Christmas dinner, I took 8 or 10 pics of my youngest son D before getting one that was not blurry. He was sitting still and being a good sport about my having to take so many pics to get a good one. I sure love that baby boy of mine.

I still haven't finished redoing the inside of my house yet, but it still moving along. Maybe 2013 will be a more productive year here around the house.

Many prayers and blessings, Michelle~~Agape Stitches

Myrtle Beach in January

Kevin and I went to Myrtle Beach over this past weekend 

with a lovely couple from our church. 

They are wonderful people and we all had a great time! 

Here are a few of the pictures I took of our trip.

You really put me on the 14th floor?

Looking south down the shoreline

poor jelly fish

Kevin trying to decide what to do with the jelly fish...the tide took care of it.

I never wear shoes when walking on the beach. I hate the feel of sand in my shoes...

....but I do love how it feels between my toes!!!

 The wind was blowing so hard that I couldn't keep the camera strap out of the way!!

This ferris wheel was two blocks away! Its said to be the largest in the world.

Kevin, Me, Brenda, and Clarence

Thank you to Clarence and Brenda for taking us with you to the beach.

We had a great time and enjoyed making new friends with your 'old'. friends!

Thank you to Pastor Micah Hucks, his wife Donette, and everyone at Bread of Life Church for making us feel so welcome and for the wonderful dinner.

Hope that everyone is having a blessed time!!

I'm Gonna Try a Block Of the Month among other things...

I've decided to try the free BOM from Craftsy, using only fabrics that I already have...it should be interesting to say the least. If you like quilting, or want to learn quilting, this would be a great place to start.  You can join in any time, and work at your own pace.

Here's the link to Craftsy:   http://blog.craftsy.com/2012/01/bomstartsnow/


Hopefully I'll be able to work this BOM into my daily remodeling projects around the house. I'm so looking forward to getting the house finished. I'm tired of the dust and dirt flying around (allergies--on high alert!!) and the critters in the attic (squirrels and birds--yuck...they belong in the oak tree in the front yard)!

Hope everyone is having a greatly blessed day!!!