A little holiday update.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.  Our Christmas was great. My kids and grandkids all came over and everyone was well and healthy.  We had a good lunch and then the craziness of opening gifts started happening.  The grandkids liked all of their gifts except for my youngest granddaughter Carmen.  I gave her the Minnie Mouse quilt and she liked that but I also gave her a Cabbage Patch doll and she wouldn't open it because it scared her...She took off the wrapping and screamed...Her Mom said her other toy that she was playing with earlier did the same thing to her for awhile so I'm sure she'll eventually like the doll I got her.  She's 3 and things scare her easily right now but everything else went over really good.  I gave her Mom the Marilyn Monroe wall-hanging and she loved it.  I gave my youngest grandson a quilt for his bed and he liked that too.  I already showed all of these quilts in the past so I won't bore you with pics of them now.  I've got to get off now and cut up some fabric for a class I'll be taking in January with Bonnie Hunter...I'm going to be doing Orca Bay with her. I bought the book awhile back but I just printed off the supply list so now I can start preparations.  I'm also doing her mystery but I'm behind on it with all the Christmas stuff I had to finish. So, for now, take care and happy stitching.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you and your families have a blessed holiday. 

Christmas Crafts

I did some crafting yesterday. I've been doing yo yos for a few days to put together this little Yo Yo tree.  I was pleased with it but couldn't find the star I had saved from my ornaments to put it on top. I'm still searching for it...

 

I also made this little peppermint wreath. I saw this on Facebook and just had to make one.  This  was fun to make and easy to make. The grandkids came over and saw it and loved it.  Quick and easy and can be taken apart later to eat and not store.....

 

This last one I didn't make.  It is a Christmas postcard I got in the mail from my friend Shirley. She taught us how to make these fabric postcards a few years ago and she's still doing them. I love this one and I think I'll start making them again after the holidays. It was fun getting this one in the mail. 

 

That's all I have time for now but I'll post some more tonight or tomorrow. I have some pictures to show you of my quilt group's Christmas party. I didn't win the blocks but had a good time anyway....

Til next time, happy stitching!

Christmas in July...Sentiments

The first things that come to my mind about July is fireworks, hot weather, my kids birthdays and Christmas.  Well, I've done the fireworks, we are having the hot weather, kids birthday, yep, that's done too. Now it's down to the Christmas part. Christmas, yep, that's right, Christmas.  I've always thought of Christmas in July. I guess it all goes back to when I was a kid and they always had Christmas in July sales. Now is no different.  Everywhere I turn.  I see Christmas in July sale.  I get emails about it too...Well, I'm going to be participating in a Christmas in July celebration and my day is July 30th. I'm getting ready for it now. So, please drop by on that day and see what I've got going....There is a blog hop celebration starting on that day and I am one of the many (almost one hundred bloggers are participating) getting ready for it.  I'm so excited! You'll see the blue button on the right hand side of my blog that says Think Christmas. Just click on it when it starts and it will take you to Madame Sam's blog and she will be putting everybody's stuff on pinterest every day.
Come back and see what I'm doing....

During the meantime, I went to the local quilt store to buy some fabric to bind a quilt. I found out they are having a Christmas in July celebration too.   They are having all kinds of things going on this week. I'm going Thursday night to see a Trunk show and demo on Long Arm quilting.  I can't wait to see what they have to show.  While I was there, they asked me to sew up a quilt for them.  I couldn't say no, the quilt is so pretty.

I cut it out Sunday afternoon and started sewing on it. I sewed on it a little yesterday too.  I took the day off today so I could stay home and finish it.  (I have plenty of vacation time.).  I wanted to get it done asap so they could show it during their celebration.  I was able to finish it today.... This quilt was fun to work on. The fabric feels so good and I love the reds in this line.  This fabric was designed by 3Sisters for Moda and is called Sentiments.
They wrote the pattern to go with their line of fabric too. 

The middle part is a panel you fussy cut the post cards from. Then put some of the lovely Christmas fabric around  them to hi-lite them. 

Here's a close-up of some of the fabrics.

So pretty, the pics don't do it justice. 

Weekend Happenings but no sewing!

Friday night, our doctors took us out to celebrate. We were celebrating the office manager's 20th anniversary.  We had a wonderful dinner at Ocean Prime. A wonderful seafood restaurant in downtown Dallas. I had planned on coming home afterwards and getting ready for Saturday.. I had a Christmas party to go to early (around 10:00) and I needed to fix my dish to take.  Well, that didn't happen!  I came home and crashed. I set the alarm and got up early and cooked my food to take with me. 

I went to my sewing guild Christmas party.  There were fourteen of us that came  and we had a great time.  Good food and good friends getting together and chatting and celebrating.  We played the Mr and Mrs Right game. We brought tea towels to exchange.  Well, some of us brought tea towels and some brought white elephant gifts, I brought the knitted dish cloths.  Anyway, it was fun to see who knows their right hand from their left.  We had to stop a few times to let some catch up!!! 
We ate lunch and then we exchanged gifts. We played the Chinese game. One person opens the gift and the next person can take it away or choose another unopened gift.  I've been in the group for 4 years and I have tried to win a gift from my friend Cathey.  She has been making the same thing for 9 or 10 years because everyone wants it...She makes a stuffed bunny sewing machine cover.  Until we all have one, she will keep making them, or at least that's what she says!  Anyway, I finally won her gift.  I got it and held my breath the whole time during the gift exchange and the bunny came home with me!  I was so excited.  She is so cute and I'm so pleased she came to live with me and greet me every time I go to my sewing room.  I did not take pictures but I will and show you later tonight....

Sunday afternoon, I decorated the house with all my Christmas quilts and we put up the tree.  My grandkids are coming over tonight to eat supper with us and decorate the tree.  This will be alot of fun tonight and I'll take pictures of my grandbabies and show you how big they now...
I didn't get any sewing done over the weekend but will be able to sew a little this week.  I have a Christmas tablerunner to finish so I can put it out this week.  I hope I get it done. The tablerunner is done except for putting the leaves all over it....I'll show you that later too.  Until next time, happy sewing!

Christmas shopping!

I took today off and my husband and I went and did 95% of our Christmas shopping.  We had a wonderful time together and I didn't have to shop by myself like all the previous years.  I even found the rest of my Christmas dishes.  My MIL bought me dishes last year but she only gave me 4 coffee cups and 4 salad bowls.  I found the other 4 bowls, the other 4 coffee cups, 8 salad plates, and  the creamer and sugar bowl. I called my MIL and let her know and told her I found them. She asked me if there were any other pieces to the set and she's buying the serving platter and large bowl for my gifts this year and my set will be totally complete. I'm so excited about that.  I'm going to be serving Christmas dinner with my beautiful plates!  We came home, I fixed Potato soup and cornbread and put my aching feet up.  Talk about shop til you drop...but I only have to find two more gifts! Easy, peasy! I can do that in my sleep.  Now, I get to wrap and put them all under the tree and get on with enjoying the rest of the month.  I do have 4 snuggles to finish and some knitting to finish but I have so much time, I'm not feeling any pressure.  Merry Christmas! 

Sunday afternoon Christmas Open House

Sunday afternoon, my MIL and I went to a quilter friends house for her annual Christmas open house. This is her 13th year to do this and it is amazing. She decorates every room with quilts and Christmas trees. She has 44 trees up this year and her house is wonderful. I enjoy going to this every year and I'm never disappointed.  Here's just a few pics for you to enjoy. I'm always motivated when I leave here and I'm definitely in the Christmas spirit...



This tree contains all the handmade ornaments that have been done for 13 years.





She tats too.




I love this little picture and I totally agree with it.



This tree has the current ornaments that she is giving to her friends and guests.



Look at these treats.  She makes all the candy and cookies AND gives you the recipes too. What a wonderful hostess.



Tatting Tuesday

Last night was tatting Tuesday. I went to the Senior Center and tatted with my friends.  It was so much fun, I tatted on the never ending flag but I also tatted on a small motif...It was so good to tat on something else for a change.  I had to laugh at myself though cause I was almost finished with this little motif and I  discovered that I hadn't made the picots big enough and it would not close and become a circle like it should...I was just spinning my wheels with this one...Oh, well, another little piece to add to something.  I think I'll take some of my little tatting castoffs and do what BSOTF did with hers....see this link...
http://bsotf.blogspot.com/2010/11/christmas-bauble-with-practice-piece.html

She used some of her castoff tatting and put them into the clear glass balls and used them for Christmas tree ornaments.  Cute idea.  I love it and I think I'll do some like this and give to some of my tatting buddies for Christmas.  Anyway, I had such a good time Tuesday and I didn't care if I got anything done.  These ladies are all so wonderful and I am so glad they are my friends...Again, I'll show you what I do with it later. I promise I'll take a picture and show you.  I have not been home long enough to add my pictures this week.  I have several to show, so please stay tuned.  Happy Holidays!

Saturday Sewing and working on quick Christmas Gifts.

I have so many quilts and projects that need to be worked on.  I  got up this morning and couldn't decide what to work on...I started out by straightening up my sewing area a little bit and decided to get my obligation blocks out of the way.  I made the church blocks first and that got me started. 

 I told my group the other night that I would show some quick gifts at the next meeting so I decided to work on those.  I pulled out a little kit I had put together and made this chair caddy. It went together pretty quickly, so I decided to make another one but I quilted it differently and I also finished the binding by machine instead of by hand.  Here's two quick gifts.

I then made these two bed caddies...These were super quick to make.

I put my embroidery unit on my machine and made the embroidered towel on the left.  I made the middle towel on another machine while my machine embroidered away.  These are great for the kitchen.  The butterfly towel is just that.  I didn't do anything with that.  I'll put some bath soap with that for a quick gift.  I have a friend that loves butterflies, so this will go to her.

I made these quick bookmarks too.  I love doing these.  I give these with a book to my sewing friends.  I have made these for years and they always get a smile or giggle out of the receiver...

I made these little kleenex carriers, quick coasters, and the two little bags next.  I love the blue jean bag.  I used left over or should I say recycled jeans to make it.   I also added some cute stitches on it...I'll put some lip gloss and some little something in it and give it to my granddaughter.  The other little bag is so quick to make, you can whip one up in about 10 minutes and it can be any size.   Great for makeup or putting personal items in. 

This last little bear took me the rest of the afternoon.  He will be going to a nursing home for someone to love...One of the ladies at tatting was giving away some patterns and craft stuff and I got him for free...I have alot more to sew up to go to the nursing home.    

This is what I got done today. I would have gotten more done but I had to stop and watch the Rangers play....Yeah, I'm so glad they won.  Go Rangers!!!

 I think it was a pretty productive day. I have gone through some of my stash and put together fabric with patterns to make little kits up and I'll be working on more of these this week.  Next weekend I am not going to Houston. I am going on retreat and plan on getting alot done.  I will be working on my quilts and other projects there. 

I am almost finished with one sock...I told you about this earlier.  I started the knitting group and pulled this sock out and tried to work on it at group...Well, I am now onto the foot part and it is going just fine except...it looks like it might be big...I'm going to finish it and see if it will shrink a little bit.  I'll show you the sock tomorrow.  I hope you had a great day and get lots of sewing done this weekend.  til next time....

Christmas 2009

I had a wonderful Christmas with my family - my youngest son, my older son, my DIL, the three grands, my MIL, and my sweet hubby. We had the traditional dinner here. My three grandchildren came in ready to have Santa the moment they came through the door. I told them we had to wait on Papa to come back from the store. Yes, I sent him to buy forgotten rolls! He came back empty handed as the stores were closed. (Brookshires, Krogers and Walmart) I was not disappointed. To tell you the truth, I was impressed. I'm so glad all the stores in our area closed their doors so all their employees could celebrate Christmas with their families. Anyway, while the ham and sweet potatoes were cooking, we went ahead and let the children open their gifts. It's so fun to have children in the house at Christmas. I am so thankful that my son and his family are back here in Texas now. They lived in Michigan for 6 years and I missed my son so much. But, when the babies started coming, I really missed all of them. The youngest grandchild is now a year old and he is a Texan. They have been back down here now for 2 years and I hope they never leave Texas again. (Unless, I go too) I gave Trent, the youngest, a quilt for Christmas. I started this sometime ago. I changed the colors about half way through because my DIL changed the colors in his bedroom. I showed the flimsy but here's a pic of the finished item...I think this one turned out pretty cute.



I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas and I wish you all a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year. Til next time....

Hectic week with parties and celebrations

The past two weeks have been very busy. I've gone to several parties, several dinners, open houses and we had our Christmas Special at Church. I have been cooking and baking but there has been little sewing time or tatting time. I have sure missed the little breathing time I get with these. I enjoy this time of year but it sure can be very stressful.

I have also missed my Bernina, OMG, I have been using my other machines here and there when I did get some sewing time in and I'm ready to get my baby back....They just called me and told me I can come get her so I'm off to get dressed and go pick her up. I will post more later today with pictures I've taken of various parties with quilting and tatting. But for now, gotta go...

Christmas open house

Yesterday, my MIL and I went to a quilter's open house. Sharon Wilhelm is a quilter/quilt teacher here in the Dallas area and she has this open house every year.If you take any of her classes during the year, you are invited to her house to celebrate Christmas. (I try to take one of her classes just so I'll be invited.) She decorates every room with her quilts and Christmas trees and makes some of the best cookies and candies I have ever tasted. Her punch is the best drink I have ever tasted. I limited myself to two glasses or I could have drunk the whole thing! She's sending me recipes and I can't wait! My MIL was so amazed at her house. Last year was the first time I had gone and I remember what I thought, so I know how she felt. Sharon does some amazing quilts and she's quilted since she was really young. She has accumulated some very nice quilts and decorations over the years and it is truly lovely. It is the hi-lite of the Christmas season for me to go here. She makes ornaments and gives them away to her guests and sends them in her Christmas cards and packages too. She made 350 little sleigh ornaments this year. Last year she made Christmas bulbs and they were cute too. She had 49 trees decorated throughout her house. Can you imagine that? It was lovely. Thank you Sharon for such a lovely treat at Christmas....

Christmas parties, Decorating and Survival

Woo hoo, today was so busy! I got up this morning and wrapped my gift to take to my Quilt Guild meeting. I decided to not bake and just buy some different breads at Costco. I was not disappointed. It was three different loaves, Pound Cake, Banana Nut Bread and Cinnamon Streudal. All were very good and it sure helped me not to have to take my time to bake. I went and picked up my BOM at the quilt store and listened to the monthly talk about the block then headed out for my Christmas party. We had a great lunch. Boy, do we have some good cooks in our guild! I think all quilters must know how to cook. Is it the nurturing gene or what? One of our guild members and her husband and friend entertained us with Christmas music while we ate. Thanks Donna and Mike. They wrote a very cute Christmas quilting song and we sang it to the tune of The 12 Days of Christmas...I'll see if it's ok to tell you their lyrics and if so, I'll write them out for you...I had a great time with good food, good friends and lots of laughter. This is why the holidays mean so much to me! I love the fellowship of friends.

Today was my fourth anniversary of being a Breast Cancer survivor. I'm doing great and had a great check up last week. I'm thankful for my health this season!

Today was also the anniversary of my sweet Mother's death many years ago. My Mom has been gone now 40 years today. Some days it seems like just yesterday. I sure miss you Mom and I now know how truly wise you really were.

After the party today, my grandkids came over and helped me decorate our tree. Finally! I have been after my husband since Thanksgiving to get our tree down so I could decorate. Now, it feels like Christmas! My grandkids are so cute too. They so enjoyed going through my box of Christmas ornaments and saying, Grammy, I like this one. Did you make this one? Can you make me one like this? Grammy, who's this? Is it really my Daddy in this picture? Ah, sweet, fun times. I love this. For all my friends out there, I wish you sweet times with your families this holiday season. Remember, Jesus is the reason for the season...Share him with someone you love.

ASG Christmas

I had a great time today at my ASG Annual Christmas party. It was alot of fun getting together with my sewing friends. We got to the Barn (it's a sewing barn) around 10:30 for coffee, donuts and catching up...We all chatted and looked around the barn to see what our hostess was working on. Lana is a recently retired person and is now pursuing Long Arm Quilting...She's been doing this for a while on the side and now can do it full time. However, you know how it is when you retire. Everybody calls and comes by because you have all the time in the world now that you don't work, right? She has a few quilts to work on now and a lovely work room(barn) to do it in. Her daughter came over and decorated for our function. We decided to play the Wright game with fat quarters. We then ate a wonderful lunch and exchanged gifts. We did the chinese Christmas game and several lovely items were stolen from me (Mary, you know what I wanted.) I ended up with a very nice Christmas gift. I got an Omnigrid Foldaway cutting board and pressing station...Not bad, huh? I needed a new one so, this will come in very handy for retreats! We played LCR (Left, Center, Right) for quarters. I didn't win anything but it was fun to learn this quick game...Before the party was over, I started getting a headache and came home and had to lay down. I was supposed to babysit for my grandkids but they were sick...I got up but was running fever and upset stomach..Oh well, I'm hoping it's not bad. I don't have time to get sick. I have too much to do before Christmas....til next time....

ASG and friends

I went with some friends today to an ASG workshop. (American Sewing Guild) We went to the bored meeting (oops, my bad, should read board meeting but if truth be told the first spelling really shows how I felt) and broke for lunch. We went to one of my favorite places...Babe's (I love their salad and corn...then we came back and had three mini classes on various sewing/quilting/crafts. I went to a class for quick tips for quilting. Nothing new unless you're new to quilting. It was a takeoff on Billie Lauder's quick tips or Nickel Quilts tips...same difference. How to use 5",6" or various size blocks to make easy blocks like 4 patches, half square triangles, etc. It was ok but I wanted something more....Gave me an idea for a quick class for my small group for our beginners so it wasn't a complete waste of time.

My friend was teaching a class on using ink with shaving cream and making marble fabric. My other friend was teaching using fabric markers to make your fabric. These were fun to do too....here's a picture of what I did. I'll use these and make a small wall quilt or post card or something out of them...












I have not seen Shirley(one of the friends I went with) since Christmas. We are in two different groups together but I have not made it to either one for various reasons. She went to Hawaii with her husband back around Thanksgiving for their 45th Anniversary. She took all her kids and grandkids with them too! Wasn't that sweet....Anyway, she brought me back a gift and I wanted to show it to you. It can be used for sewing, crafts, makeup or whatever I want. She said the Hawaiian symbol stands for friendship, isn't that sweet? I just love her to death and I am so glad she's my friend. Thank you, Shirley for such a wonderful gift. Love you girl. Thank you for thinking of me on your trip...









The card beside the bag is a Hawaiian Christmas card. Isn't that cute?



She also gave me the cheater fabric and the little rings. See if you can read what they are for....

Christmas is Coming, Christmas is Coming!

Ok, you might say it's a little early to start this but I just can't help myself. I went shopping last week and the stores are already decorated for Christmas. I have started my Christmas shopping already and am already deciding what to make for Christmas gifts. I am getting so excited! I told all the family we are toning down Christmas and not buying as much this year but that doesn't mean I'm not going to make things! We have a new grandchild coming in time for Christmas and that means I am busy working on a new quilt. I have decided to make aprons and tablerunners too. I am not making big quilts this year except maybe finishing up one that I'm working on for Josh. The Orange Crush has the borders on now and I think I will have this one quilted so I can give to him for Chrismas...I am tatting and knitting and maybe I can get some little tea towels done too. We'll see. Too much to do and not enough time. I'm going to have to start a to-do list and prioritize what needs to be done. Hmmm, I'll have to think on this and decide. I know I plan on enjoying myself and not stressing out over anything...Relax and breathe and start singing Christmas songs...til next time.....Ho, Ho, Ho......