We're settling into our winter routine again and won't get back home for a month or so.

I think I'll pull the green poinsettias out of the stick tree bouquet made from stuff I found in the basement at the shop and put some little snowflakes on it.

We had about 8" of snow the other night and are supposed to get another 6" tomorrow. Lake effect snow will kick in after that. It just keeps snowing and snowing and snowing so snowflakes seem appropriate.

Want to make some paper snowflakes too? Papersnowflakes.com is supposed to be the place for patterns and everything you'd ever want to know about snow. I did some papercuts for applique blocks last year and filed them away. I'll have to dig those out and maybe cut a few more.

The boys gave me a new hard drive for the laptop. My old one was giving me dangerous messages when I turned the computer on telling me a failure was imminent! Now that's a scary thing to see considering all the information I keep on here. My son Paul installed the new one Christmas night and put the operating system on it. I'm still trying to install drivers and software. I thought I brought everything I'd need from Grand Rapids with me but discovered I had no EQ6. I use that all the time when I'm designing and putting together projects for the web site. I've got Rob looking for it at home and hopefully he can get it in the mail this week but the monthly installments will be late again. Argh!!! Midget Block 58 is a real challenge. It's one of those you have to think about for a while and tackle on a day when you have a hefty reserve of patience available. Lots of you asked for some of the difficult blocks from the quilt and this is one of them.

I have been thinking about what might be fun for 2008 and told you about the Sally Post quilt. Every time I look at it I'm intrigued by the variety of blocks. It's so sad to see how one fabric deteriorated while the rest remain strong and beautiful. I bought some red prints for the setting triangles and have most of the block patterns already drawn.

I came across this antique "blue" redwork quilt top in the treasure trunk at home. The sashing didn't match the blocks so I decided to take it apart.

I now have a pretty nice pile of blocks. A few of them have some spots so I'm going to soak them to see if they'll come out.

The blocks are nicely done and I think it would be fun to share the designs with you throughout the year.

I'd like to do another pieced project now that the State Fair Sampler is finishing up. Maybe a medallion this time. If there's something you'd like please let me know.

In the meantime I have an adorable antique Kewpies design for you to work on. It's from an old Royal Society kit to make an oblong pillow. Blue floss was the suggested color in the kit but I think with Valentine's Day just around the corner I'll do mine in red or maybe pink.