Friday News...

If you're reading this early and the ASG blog hasn't updated yet, please go back a little later today.  Those of us who check EARLY in the morning sometimes beat the postings, but Samina at ASG promised it will be there today.  And E and I thank you for your interest in her progress!

I mentioned this week that it was Administrative Professionals Day on Wednesday.  I got a nice bouquet of flowers from one of the execs I support, and in the afternoon I received an email from Amazon.com Gift Cards that said

from the managers in the office for all your efforts every day making the office run smoothly.

So I went right out and bought a copy of Bonnie Hunter's book,

... which I have been lusting after and somehow never ordered.  Her books almost never go on sale anywhere.  Then I added



because if I'm getting one 'free' with my gift certificate, that is the same as getting two for one, or half off both!  I'm very happy and expressed my gratitude to Chuck, Kevin, Paul, Mike and Jim, a bunch of truly great guys to work for!  If you have to work outside the home, it's good to be in such great company.

Guest Blogging Friday

My granddaughter E and I are guest blogging this Friday on the American Sewing Guild blog again.

You can check us out at www.asg.org by clicking on the Blog icon in the upper left corner of the screen.  It's open to the public.

While you're over there you might want to check out the member benefits, and if you want to join you can do that right on line!  ASG has lots of great things going on, including meetings in a neighborhood near many of you, on line classes that come free with your paid membership, newsletters and quarterly publications, member discounts at lots of merchants, and the best national convention you will ever attend.  This year the conference is in Houston, Texas, which just happens to be the home town of ASG headquarters.

If you love to sew you should be a member of ASG!

Keep on sewing.

Sowing Along...

This Sow-Along is so enjoyable that I can't resist sewing a few blocks nearly every day.

I'm also trying to do things like hem pants and finish a couple of projects, but...

I took the corner squares off the churn dash and substituted white for the print that was there before.  I like it much better, don't you?

I completed the block called Darting Birds.  It's turned a different way in the book we're not talking about.  I think it's very cute, with its little one inch hsts!

Then in keeping with the birds theme, I finished the block called Flock.  I think I have this picture upside down, but it's also cute.  1.5 inch hsts and 3.5 inch hsts this time.

I am trying to mix up the greens with each block, but I find myself trying to use up the chunk of fabric.  Also I make a sheet of hsts of one size, so the same fabrics tend to appear when the size is the same.

This is Old Windmill.  Four different shades of 1.5 inch hsts were called for, but I used the same white background for all of them.

This one is called Peace and Plenty.  I loved these two fabrics together.

On a roll with hsts, this one is called Prairie Queen.  The four patches are two inches finished, and the hsts are two inches finished...  This one maybe should have had more contrast between the two light fabrics.  It does look nicer in person.

This is the Railroad block.  This one is two inch four-patches and two inch hsts (finished measurements) similar to the Prairie Queen.

Here is Spool.  This one is based on 2 inch finished hsts and squares.  I think I like the one made with more squares per block, because you can make the spool portion wider.  This looks like an empty spool -- not something you want to encounter in the middle of a project!!

I'm up to 30 squares.  I actually have more made, but some are duplicates, and due to my inexpert measuring and my inability to make the templates work for me, I have four that turned out to be 8 inches finished instead of six.

I'm not too worried, I will either find a use of them, or A will cut them up for her next project!!

Happy Sowing, everyone!

Saying Thank You

For those of you who work in offices anywhere, this week Wednesday is Administrative Professionals Day.  It used to be called Secretary's Day... way back when.  Suffice it to say that calling it Secretary's Day, or calling the person who helps you do your work a secretary, has developed some negative connotations.

Enter Administrative Professionals.  There are all sorts of folks who assist in the ordinary everyday operation of your average office.  I used to joke with my boss that I was waiting for Executive Assistant's day or Financial Assistant's day.  See what I mean?

Gone are the days when you have to pick up the boss's dry cleaning, get him/her a cup of coffee with two sugars, or pick up gifts for his/her spouse or kids!  Unless you work for the Devil Wears Prada boss -- but I think that's just a movie, right??  Ha ha, I wouldn't have lasted half a day with THAT boss!!  I'd have said 'I don't do coffee' and I would have been so fired!

I work with a great group of senior executives, who are for the most part self-sufficient and can handle their own business.  They rely on me to review and analyze information, prepare necessary paperwork, keep meetings on schedule.  I keep track of busy calendars, resolve schedule conflicts and arrange travel to send them all over the world. And get them back.

It's nice to be recognized as part of the team.  Some of these people are very good at expressing their appreciation.  It's good to know that even though they don't always say so, they notice the extra care put into making their jobs easier.

I try to do what gets them what they need and where they need to be with a minimum of B.S., red tape, and aggravation. 

And sometimes it pays off!

Oh no, Marty, thanl YOU!  And you're very welcome.