Cough... Wheeze... I'm still here!

Wow, February really was not fun at all!  I think I've lived in this frozen tundra long enough to determine that if I could just sleep through February my whole year would be much better.  It's dark, it's cold, the snow is brown and gross, and I'm just completely over winter.  My whole family has had a cold we just can't shake, and for me it turned into strep throat, a sinus infection, and my first antibiotics prescription in nearly 20 years! 

But enough about that, March is coming SOON and even though I know we're in for at least a few more snowfalls, there will also be those few warm days that are just enough to give me hope that it won't be winter forever.  It won't, right?  Please?

I did do some sewing while I've been away from my poor neglected blog.  I completed three mug rugs for the mug rug swap.  The first one just didn't turn out quite up to my standards, although I love the idea and will someday do it again.  I think that one was just a victim of me not having the right tools- namely a walking foot.  The back has some puckers I just couldn't let slide.  And I wasn't exactly going for wonky lines, but my persnickety machine was in a wonky mood.  I do love the patchwork, it's like an I-Spy of my favorite fabrics.

So that one lives here now, and this is what actually went in the mail to my partner.  Two mug rugs and some 5" squares of fabric.  I made the rainbow-y one first and then remembered that my partner isn't wild about green!  The green was pretty prominent, so I made another just to be safe.  The white background one is inspired by the "Little Bits" quilt in Joelle Hoverson's Last Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts. I hope she likes them!

I also already received my mug rug and goodies from Kandra.   She sent a bright and cheery mug (which I've kept filled with sore throat tea), a hair clip for my kiddo and of course a beautiful mug rug! I don't think I said this in my "likes" for the swap, but I have an English degree and am a voracious reader, so the fabric with words on it is so perfect for me!  Sorry for the dark pic, it's the darn cloudy Wisconsin weather.  But having a rainbow right here by my keyboard is very nice!  Thank you Kandra!