Final banner and Starting Over

I haven't been around much lately, as you can see. Bad blogger! I have been really busy with work/family/extended family drama. Here it is, the banner, hung up on the entrance to our kitchen on the day of Jack's birthday! I like how it turned out but I wish I had used a pattern. I think it would take a LOT less time now that I have done it once.
I got a new sewing machine! My mom got the Rolls Royce of sewing machines, a Bernina Virtuosa, on Ebay as an early Christmas gift. She gave her old good backup machine to me, and is taking the Kenmore I have been using to work so she can repair donated clothes there (she is a school nurse).

So here is my new machine!
I haven't tried it yet, but I do like the look of it. It has every stitch under the sun, and each button is marked with its stitch. On the Kenmore, there was a code to punch in (more or less). I am excited to try this one, Mom says it is a very good machine, and she would know.

Here is an attachment mom sent along with it. A large sewing area can only be a good thing. That whole "table" is detachable.
She also sent along a book on making a good sewing space with a little or a lot of room. I will have to give this a look, I have a VERY small sewing area. It is a corner of our living room, on our old, small kitchen table, with only a few totes to hold my stuff.
I am going to try out the new machine sometime this weekend, and possibly make those fleece longies I have been meaning to make. I have never tried to take anyone's measurements, let alone my squirmy toddlers!