Quilting Bee 1

I have been writing a lot about my travel recently, so here is one about a quilt I recently made. Someone twitter that I follow (sorry quilters can’t remember who) Mentioned that they were having a good time with Quilting Bee by Kathleen Ricketson. Thank goodness for Amazon Prime I ordered it and had it in my little hands the next day.

I decided that the first quilt I was going to make was the Constructivist. I have to say the pattern was easy to follow (there was one small user error, but that was all me!) and turned out even better than I thought. I went with a Christmas theme - I have a bunch of Christmas charm packs. So I used my Moda’s Countdown to Christmas and Gray print for the background. I haven’t picked a backing or binding yet, but I have the top done!

Pattern - Constructivist
Quilting Bee By Kathleen Ricketson

I’m currently working on Prismatic from the book. More pictures to come as I finish laying out that one. (it must be Xmas in July this one has a Christmas theme too!)

Taking a break and gong shopping - I need a new outfit (more on why later!)

On the Road Again

I’m on vacation this week, but was trying to sort out my fall schedule now that Southwest has opened up their schedule trough January 4, 2013. I really thought it wasn’t going to be that busy – HA HA joke is on me. I have two work trips in August and nothing until the under of September, but the rest of the year…let’s just say I could rent out my apartment and it would be ok.

You know the glamorous life of a corporate event planner:  planes, hotels and convention centers – and I wouldn’t change it! I’m spending a lot of time out on the west coast so I’m going to be racking up the southwest points and I’m booked at Marriott’s across the board. I feel a big vacation coming up in 2013 and I already know the perfect location.

Here we go!

Sept 26 – Oct 3

·         San Diego, CA: International Association of Chiefs of Polices Conference

Oct 4 – 7

·         Toronto, Canada: Vacation

Oct 8 – 13

·         Los Angeles, CA: ANCC Magnet Conference

Oct 26 – Nov 1

·         San Francisco, CA: American Public Health Association Conference

Nov 2 – Nov 4

·         Ocean City, MD: Think It...Ink It 2012 

Nov 5 – Nov 11

·         Atlanta, GA: National Association for the Education of Young Children Conference

Nov 21 – Nov 26

·         Westford, MA: Thanksgiving with the Family

Nov 26 – Nov 29

·         TBD: Work Team Meeting ( Chicago or Portland, OR)

Nov 30 – Dec 1

·         New York City: Annie on Broadway & the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular

Dec 22 – Dec 28

·         Westford, MA:  Christmas with the Family

Dec 30 – Jan 1

·         Nashville, TN:  The best place to ring in the New Year!

Hershey and a Birthday

Ahhh, Hershey, PA a beautiful place to go and visit. I tend to go up to Hershey 3 – 4 times a year. Usually it includes a trip to the Chocolate Spa, some shopping and the occasional trip over to Lancaster. This trip got a late start so we had a quick bite to eat and went to the hotel.

This was my birthday treat - when I was a kid I hated having a July 3^rd birthday. Everyone was away for the holiday and I had to have parties in May…Really it was smart of my mom, but doesn’t every kid want to have a party on there their real birthday. (More than just the family getting together) Anyway, as an adult I love having a birthday right before a holiday - most years I don’t have to work and if I do I take it off - truly a beautiful thing.

My birthday started with breakfast at the Hershey Pantry. It has great food, service and is an all round cute little restaurant.  I would go back again without hesitation. Then it was off to the Chocolate Spa – if you haven’t been I recommend it. It has everything you need to relax from the robes, to silent rooms and no cell phones – it is exactly what is needed from our plugged in world. I had the chocolate dipped strawberry and then a 50 minute massage. The chocolate dipped strawberry was a strawberry seed scrub and a chocolate mud wrap – I have to say these are two of my favorite services to get. Your skin feels great after and you smell heavenly. 

After that we changed hotels and actually spent the night at the Hershey Hotel (the link has a little history on the hotel). It is a beautiful hotel and has been well renovated and up kept for being built in the 1930s. The grounds are immaculate and well kept.  We had a free night which is why we chose to stay there (I’m a Marriott girl & don’t venture to other hotels often) it’s definitely on the pricey side and it would be a great location for a special event like a wedding or bridal shower, but for an average night there are plenty of nice hotels at lower rates in the area.

We were heading home this morning so we grabbed a quick bite to eat and then headed to walk through the Hershey Gardens. It was a little hot for my liking, but they are beautiful and the butterfly pavilion was definitely worth it.

Ok, off too bed - busy day tomorrow.

In the Dark - Day 2

Ok, so the electricity is still out. Currently BGE is showing that 309K are still without power and 285K have been restored. So, I am not alone in my waiting. I am lucky that I was able to use my Marriott points and check in a Residence in close by. What makes this even better is that they have a full size fridge and freezer so I was able to bring over most of my perishable food as well. And, a stove so I don’t need to eat out either. (This is nice since I just got back from two weeks on the road…and I leave tomorrow for a little R & R.)

As I was trying to figure out how long food lasted during a power outage I came across this disaster resources doc from Texas A & M – Handling food & drinks when losing power. Some I knew, some was a surprise. I do think it is a good reference.

So, today plans aren’t crazy exciting. I am going to keep studying, cook a little lunch and dinner. Oh – Laundry - I was going to wait until the weekend and do it, I should have done it as soon as I got home on Thursday. I am going to use the machines here and do laundry.

16 days til I take the CMP. (Yup, I’m counting down…then I get to start 2 more classes for my CEM)