Happy Valentine's Day

February - the shortest month - seemed to fly by this year. Maybe it seemed extra short because of the unusually warm weather - that's my best explanation. I enjoyed decorating this year - sometimes I think I won't bother (no kids to decorate for), but I'm always glad when I fill my house with hearts. and love.

I loved my Valentine's Table Runner. I finished it last year after Valentine's Day, so this was my first year to enjoy it. It decorated my kitchen counter along with pink and red candies. I think anyone could easily sew this table runner. The center tumbler blocks are so fun to make - it's magic how you sew those uneven blocks together and they come out in perfect rows. The applique is quick and easy using your machine. (The pattern is available from Kimberbell Designs)

This is Kim's version.

Add here is mine.

I loved using browns, tans, and taupe prints for this project.

I also loved my pillow which was made by my friend Teresa Lewis! Look at those buttons! And the hand embroidery. Teresa is a beautiful, prolific pillow maker. 

I loved loved the sugar cookies our d-i-l Sierra made. Her cookies are my favorite gift from her!

 I loved my handmade card from Becky! The ombre hearts have always been a favorite look and now I have a card of my own. 

I loved the flowers I bought at Sego and took to a friend...especially love that hobnail vase! I picked it especially for my friend because it looks old fashioned and girly. 

my iTune faves

Today I had an MRI - it wasn't the full-body awful kind where you're in the tube from head to toes for 45 minutes. No, this MRI was to check my injured knee, so I was lucky to have my head and arms out of the machine. Still, it was dang noisy and very uncomfortable to lie on the hard table for 30 minutes without moving.

Last night, I read up on "how to prepare for an MRI" on the internet - just so there would be no surprises. Interestingly, neither the doctor's office nor the Radiology scheduler gave me any information except to ask if I am claustrophobic. So I went to various websites and they advised me to wear a warm sweater and socks, take good headphones, make a CD of my favorite relaxing music that I could hand to the tech for me to listen to, and request a potty break and blanket before the procedure begins. I did all those things.

Above is my iTunes list titled "All-Time Faves" that I burned to a CD and took with me along with Scott's best noise-cancelling headphones. (I actually could only fit 18 songs on my CD.) The songs are the songs that I can listen to over and over. Mostly they're oldies - good old oldies from my high school and college days. And then some from this year and other misc. songs. It's quite a mish-mash and not the type of "cool" music that my son, Mike, listens to. I do like his music and sometimes he makes me a list of songs he thinks I'll enjoy. But for my MRI and driving in the car, these are my songs. My very favorite song is "4 in the Morning" by Gwen Stefani. I'm not sure why, but it's my favorite. And if you haven't listened to the last two songs - "Satisfied" and "Melody," you just have to listen to them soon because they're both special songs. And I love the Blake Shelton version of "Home" instead of Michael Buble's version. Another top favorite is "A Whiter Shade of Pale." For years, I have turned on that song and tried to get the kitchen counter cleaned up before it ends. 

And, about the MRI. The tech that ran the machinery kind of laughed when I reached for my headphones. I had to use theirs, not mine - they were earbuds, and they felt like they were about to fall out the whole time. Also, the only music options were the local radio stations. I could choose Q92, 94.5, country, or oldies. I chose country. I told the tech, a younger man, that I would be happy if the radio station played Shotgun Rider, and he said he'd never heard of that song.