A New Year Challenge

Happy New Year to you all.  I hope that 2014 will bring you enough challenges to keep life interesting and, just to get you started, I have one for you.
Everyone knows that brain health comes with learning something new.  This year, I challenge you to learn a new quilting technique; preferably one that you dislike.  If you have never tried paper piecing or applique or .....give it a try.  I am going to learn art quilting.  I have never been particularly interested in this interpretation of quilting but I have been reading magazine articles and studying photos.
I have an idea that I would like to try and think I will do a small wall hanging first to see how it works out.

I also have another idea for a quilt back just to try something different.  I am going to repeat a block used in making the top: just one block enlarged to the size needed.  Border strips will have to be added to turn the block into a rectangle but I think the overall appearance should be nice.

We are going to my brother's for our New Year's Day meal.  His wife is a great cook so I am looking forward to the feast.  I am contributing an apple pie.  I was beginning to think we might not make it as we had to get a repair done to the car.  On Saturday, one of the rear wheels seized and we found that the cause was a brake pad which had come loose.  We were able to buy a new one and my husband and a friend replaced it today.  Today is also when I had to bake as we were out of bread.  I was trying to do that while taking phone calls and listening to my husband talk.  He left and the fellow came to plow the lane.  I couldn't find the money my husband said he was leaving to pay for the snow removal.  Looked everywhere without success and decided he must not have left it.
He had, of course.  It was on the kitchen table in the serviette holder.  I hadn't paid attention when he told me.
The bread is now in the oven.  The apple pie is done although I forgot to add the  butter to the filling and the car, complete with new brake, is home. Tomorrow, we will deliver the money for the snow removal on the way to our dinner. Everything comes together eventually but it sure can take a circular route getting there.
Blessings,