I’m not an easy person to present shop for.  I like what I like and I’m not a fan of random clutter/useless junk.  I’m a big fan of gift cards or something homemade but stuff? Well, it just doesn’t float my boat.  After years and years and years of searching for the perfect present, Kevin has finally discovered it.  Time.  Yes, more than anything else, I crave time.  Time to myself.  Time to do what I want when I want without having to lug around a diaper pack and a bag of fishies.  Time to stroll through stores and eat at places that don’t offer chicken fingers.  Time.

Sure, I get to leave the house on weekends alone but I’m usually running errands and somewhere in the back of my mind I’m watching the clock aware of the fact that I have to get back home to clean house/fold laundry/cook/parent.  So Kevin has devised the ingenious plan of sending me off for a long weekend away from being a mother as a present.  This year, for my birthday, he sent me down to Ashland.  I took with me that which I needed most.  My sewing machine and Kat.  ‘Cause I don’t think I would want to do that looooong drive alone!  We stayed in a little old house two blocks from downtown Ashland.  We sewed, shopped, ate, talked, and watched all our favorite movies.  The weather was beyond beautiful and we could eat on outside patios beneath shade trees.  Ah, perfect.  Just perfect!

For my project, I took with the me Carla’s birthday present.  It turned out to be a bit more involved than I thought so I just now finished it.  A little late but I don’t think she’ll mind.  I saw this pattern in a catalogue and new I had to make it.  It’s a set of quilted placemats made from a line of fabric from Connecting Threads.  I love the little pocket in front for the matching napkin and silverware.  Take a peek!

Now wouldn’t you love to sit down at this table for a nice meal?