Hey there! How was your weekend? I’m happy to report that things are finally starting to feel more “normal” for me after the holidays, even though I’m definitely not all the way there yet. I don’t know about you, but last week everything felt totally off. I kept thinking it was Friday… up until it actually was. It didn’t help that Heidi and I took off early Friday afternoon so I could finally make the trip up to the shop in Wausau to get my ski equipment squared away. Nick was sweet enough to think of making the arrangements to buy me a whole new set of skis for Christmas, but I had to go make the final selections of boots, a new helmet, mitts, and goggles for myself. Let’s just say it wasn’t the cheapest afternoon, but it sure was fun! Plus, I should be all set on new equipment for the next several years now, so it was worth it.
Skipping out of work early is always fun in the moment, but also almost always proves stressful at the same time. In order to make it happen I either have to work a couple of days ahead, or scramble later to make up for it. I’m not sure which is better. Either way, I am glad to have that part of the process out of the way. Now I just have to wait for it all to be mounted and fitted to my new boots. We should be skiing by next week – I’ll keep you posted! After the ski shop we went to dinner at a cozy little 50’s style diner called, “The Mint“ that has been on North 3rd street in Wausau for as long as I can remember. It’s super cute and hasn’t changed a bit in many years. It’s definitely the place I’d send anyone looking for a good breakfast, lunch, or dinner – and homemade pie for dessert, of course. They have a full menu with a variety of choices. We kept it light and each had the Pesto Portabella sandwich. Devine! I highly recommend. We will definitely have to go there again soon.
Is it just me, or does it actually feel like we didn’t even have a weekend? That seems to happen to me a lot these days. People will ask me how my weekend was and I usually have to stop and think back like… wait – what DID I do??? – because it’s already a thing of the past. As you know, the answer is often times work, or stitch – or work and stitch – and this weekend proved to be no different. I spend a considerable amount of time locked away in my sewing room working on some things I’ve told you about, and some things that are yet to come. In fact, I had some fun goals set for myself like – I wasn’t allowed to take down Christmas decorations, do laundry, or pack for my Utah trip until I finished at least 24 blocks… You know, to make absolutely sure that I made some actual progress. Speaking of progress, this is what mine looked like half-way through that 24 block goal on Sunday… Not too shabby!
Not only did I have a lot of stitching to get done over the weekend, I also had – and still have – a lot of brainstorming to do. I have so many great ideas for upcoming projects, retreats, quilt-alongs – you name it! My brain never seems to want to shut off… which really isn’t the issue. It’s keeping everything organized and in order so that I don’t lose any of the details along the way that tends to be the challenge. But that’s ok! I love a good challenge, and you should too! After all, along with practice, challenging ourselves is what makes us better quilters in the long run.
If you can believe it, part of my prepping and brainstorming this weekend had a lot to do with next Christmas already. I know that seems crazy but it’s really not considering I’m anticipating not one, but two new fabric lines to come out this summer, both heavily geared toward the winter and Christmas seasons. The first line release that I anticipate seeing will be, “Joyful Gatherings,” scheduled to come out in June, 2023 – and man, I cannot wait! Not only is this line 1,000% yummy, I also have a quilt-along planned to go with it, so that’s always a bit of extra added excitement. After that I hope to see my latest flannel collection, “Lakeside Gatherings“ hit the warehouse shelves sometime in August. This line is soft flannels in an assemblage of blues and creams that are sure to be just the fabric you need for winter projects. If you don’t have any in mind quite yet, hang tight. I have several in the works and plan to release a book in the future as well, all designed with “Lakeside Gatherings“ in mind.
Have I piqued your interest yet? Whether you’ve already decided to join the upcoming “Joyful Gatherings” Quilt-Along or “Lakeside Gatherings” is more your style, now is the time to stock up on these hot new fabrics! Though neither line is available in stores at this time, they are now both available to PRE-ORDER by clicking the links below!
If you watched me LIVE last Thursday you got to see a bit of a sneak peek of the “Lakeside Gatherings“ collection. While I was showing it, I mentioned another idea I have that I really hope to do a lot with this year. It has to do with our environment, planet awareness, and reducing our carbon footprint where we can. For instance, I think there are plenty of disposable products that could easily be made as reusable products. Things like makeup removal pads, paper towels, reusable dryer sheets, etc., could all easily be made from your scrap stash. I have a whole bunch of these types of projects in mind, so if that sounds like something you’d like to try I highly recommend stocking up on this light and airy flannel line while it’s still on sale.
Don’t you just love new releases? I do… I love it once they’re actually here even more. But you know as well as I do that patience is a virtue – especially when waiting for fabric to arrive. You know what they say… Absence makes the heart grow fonder! Indeed. Indeed. Aright everyone, time for dinner! Have a great night and I will see you back here on the blog soon. Oh! And just a friendly reminder that due to scheduling conflicts and just a heck-of-a lot going on, we’ve decided to discontinue Shop Talk until further notice. You can still catch me LIVE every Thursday at 1:00 p.m. CST on my YouTube channel, STITCH with Lisa Bongean. Tune in by clicking the link below. See you there! ~Lisa
