Secret Santa SAL & Friday Night Sew-In

Yesterday I made quite a bit of progress on Secret Santa SAL with Temecula Quilt Shop. Here are Steps 3 & 4 all sewn up, waiting patiently with Steps 1 & 2 to see what's next.

I noticed this morning that Step 5 is posted and my stomach lurched when I saw I was to cut out 96 scrappy small rectangles AND 48 a tad bigger rectangles. I read on to see that we'll also be sewing some of these steps into squares and the finale will be revealed next week. OMG!

While I was basking in being caught up, I thought I'd see about cutting up more fabrics for the few steps I'm behind on Dresden Quilt Workshop. And here we go ... This is a picture of the sewn-up blades for three small dresden plates.

 They now look like this, all turned out and pressed. So pretty, each and every one of the 36.

So then I cut & cut & cut and got 96 mini blades cut and sewn. They're all ready to be turned right-side out next.

A couple of days ago we got 4" of snow. My Gracie was in high gear racing through the white stuff. Doesn't she look like she's having a blast?

On a sad note, this week my cousin's 57-year-old husband passed away from esophagal-stomach cancer and on the same day I learned that a dear man that used to be our neighbor (who with his wife were the main ones to welcome us into the neighborhood) had passed away the week before with his funeral yesterday. He truly died serving his country as he is one of many that has contracted "Afghanistan Lung" while doing his job. He passed away two days before Veterans Day -- a veteran who did his job without looking for praise. Just doing his job whether in the Middle East or helping tornado-torn Rollo, MO.

Look around. Be grateful. Happy Thanksgiving!

Linking up with Sugarlane Quilts for Friday Night Sew-In. Thank you, Wendy, for again hostessing this fun evening!

Also linking up with Em's Scrapbag for Movin' It Forward Monday. Thank you, Emily, for again hostessing all of us for sharing our progress!