A good time

was had by all. Just got home from a family get-together at my brother's house. There were 24 of us--my two brothers and their families and mine. Ages ranged from 77 (my mom) to 5. A bunch of the cousins had never met. Took lots of photos and ate too much and had a blast.

Here is a photo of my Chreaster cactus--it blooms every Christmas and Easter--hence the name.



Merry Christmas!!

Ugh! Cookies!!

Jan has inspired me to show what I did today--DH comes home tonight and I SHOULD be cleaning, but nooooo. I make cookies once a year ( I am NOT a domestic diva!!), so here is the first batch of Russian Tea Cakes. (They are in the Betty Crocker cookbook) They were shy--didn't want to be photographed close up. Just a bright white blob happened. I should probably learn how to use my camera. Then I'd know how to turn off the flash. Oh, well....

Tuesday news

Not much happening on the home front---it is too stinking cold!! Notice i changed my profile pic to reflect this fact?!?
On a happier note, Daisy Quilts is having a giveaway--go take a peek!

The tree is up

and this is the latest we've ever been---can't be old age, so I'll blame it on......something!! The last package that needs mailing will go out tomorrow after Ladies Bible Study. And I haven't started Christmas baking yet... Oh my!!! Well, if it gets done, well and good, and if not there will be less calories and sugar consumed. (But DH will voice his objections!)

I should have my head examined!!

The stockings are finally done--and it's a little after midnight. But there were necessities of life to be taken care of---my roots were in dire need of attention!! Silver (notice I did NOT say gray!!) does not say "lookin' good!" to me--I refuse to look my age until I have to!

Newest creation

is this Christmas stocking.





We have had the same ones for 20 years---but they were made by my DH's only and much loved sister, so I bit my tongue and hung them up each year. However, the class I took tonight gave me the opening I needed, so I grabbed on with both hands and hung on!! DH said," Why do we need new ones?", to which I replied, "It's time for a change." The old ones were very cute for when the boys were young, but now.... it's time for a change! So tomorrow will see me making 6 more, but since all fabric will be different ( with the exception of future DIL) I will not be bored. (It doesn't take much!!) So hopefully, tomorrow there will be more pictures of various and sundry stockings.

I'm a bona fide

teacher--Not!! I had 4 ladies in my class I'd never seen before (they don't patronize our shop!) and 2 were not sewers. Good thing I was teaching no brainer table runners--no batting, quilting or binding! And all 4 turned out wonderful--they were happy and that's the name of the game.

Tomorrow night after work I'll play student and make a Christmas stocking--hope they are easy, cuz I need to make 7 before Christmas as well as quilt and bind a lap size for the man-child and get the binding done on a customer quilt before Christmas, too. Oh, well, I do this every year, so what's new?!?

Finally

posting after a long week.

Thanksgiving was quiet--only the youngest man child and an older couple from church were here. DH outdid himself again with the meal--I did contribute an awesome yam casserole.

On the quilty front I quilted and bound a lap size for the shop--pics to follow after it is up and displayed. And I'm almost done binding my SIL Christmas gift--a wall hanging:



She raises koi in Houston, so she SHOULD like it! Even DH was impressed with my quilting job--mainly I think because I was sweating it!

Put DH on the plane this morning, so the next two days will be spent in the studio--I have a class to teach Thursday night (we'll see how that works out since I've never done that before and teaching is NOT one of my gifts!) By the way, Becca, let's hear about your Monday night class!!

Ok, I'm off to play!

Road conditions

were awful coming home from Anchorage last night!! It was raining, then snaining, and finally snowing and blizzardy. Thank goodness DH was driving, not me! The slush was at least 4 inches deep--that stuff really wants to sling you all over the road. I'm very thankful for an all wheel drive vehicle. Once we hit snow, it was easier going--4 inches of snow doesn't try to do the steering!! And DH can drive !!! Mario Andretti has nothing on him. (Am I showing my age here??)

And when I got on the computer, I find Aunt Pitty Pat has been playing tag! But that will have to wait for another time---must get some things done that are under a deadline and I have to think to play....Don't hold your breath, Becca!!!!

It's done!!

Well, the top is done--it still needs to be quilted and bound, but the hard part is finished!




Tomorrow is clean up day--the dining room looks like a hurricane struck. Actually it was creativity!

Thank you

Becca!! I'm very honored.

Bec just gave me the very pretty award you see to your right!! I just called her to ask her what I do with it!! Sorry I'm such a novice concerning such things.

So...here are the rules:
1. Put the logo on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person that awarded you.
3. Nominate 10 other blogs for this award.
4. Add links to those blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.
6.Give a reason why you consider their blogs cool.

I nominate all 8 of the blogs on my list--I read each one every time they are updated, and enjoy the writings, pictures and personalities of each one!! Some of you will be duplicated--but you deserve it!

A good time

was had by all. There were 9 of us making our rendition of a memory board. This is mine--of course coffee and fabric are prerequisites!! (It really is square--the angle makes it look wonky!)

On another front, 2 more flying geese were done. All were pressed and geese are now plucked of foundation paper. I think I will now snuggle into bed with a hot pad and IPod--there are some books on it I've been meaning to listen to for months!

One tired puppy

that's me!! Worked alot of hours todayand haven't been sleeping well the last couple of nights.

Here are some of my projects that are being used in the shop right now: this is the charm party tote using Moda charms and a yard of fabric for the lining and straps.--Very easy--the part that took the longest was trying to decide which charms to use where!
This is a lap quilt using the pattern "Just can't cut it". The poinsettia blocks are 12 inches square, so needless to say, this one went together in one evening!
This is a no- brainer table runner I'm going to teach in our "Countdown to Christmas" class series. Every year at this time the shop features quick, finish the project classes as a customer appreciation thing.
And this is a tote from McCalls quilting that features the Diva Cord maker to do the handles. You're 'sposed to use 7 long bias strips for each, but I got lazy and only used 3 strips and 3 fuzzy yarns and 1 ribbon to round out the 7---those bias strips were taking forever to sew!
Tomorrow the ladies at church are doing a fun project, so traded work days with Nancy--I will post a picture of it when finished.

The table runner is being steadily worked on--only 5 more flying geese units to do, then class Monday night to assemble---well back to the geese.....

Quilt class

last night was fun--we were doing a Judy Niemeyer tablerunner. So all day since noon until now, I've been making units---and still have 8 flying geese units to make!!! They are very easy to do, but time consuming ! Next Monday night we put them together--if the units are done!!

Poor Dudley--he has to go a little longer in pieces! Becca and I are making HUGE stuffed turtles from a Pine Needles pattern and since I'm such a wimp about sewing (not quilting!!) we are doing them together so she can tell me what to do. It's her only chance to do that when I will listen!! (Not really). So Dudley Do-Something and Crush will have to wait--but it's not like they have a deadline or specific purpose--we just like them!

Pics of Quilt

Here it is:

After a weekend of work

I went to Becca's to visit a tad and pick up the quilt she long arm quilted for me. It is DROP DEAD GORGEOUS!!! I say it again--the quilting makes the quilt! It is spread out on my living room floor so I can just admire it (I am home alone). I don't think I'll be able to wait to put the binding on--there are other projects ahead of it in importance, but I will more than likely succumb!

Play day

After taking DH to the airport stinking early, I came home and read emails and checked out blogs with coffee in hand.
Then went out in the cold ( actually it was fairly nice--36 degrees above) to the studio to play. This is the messy sight that greeted me, so had to do a little ( very little) picking up.

Then cut out the tablerunner for a class I'm taking Monday night. Had to get it done today since Friday, Saturday and Monday are my work days and I didn't want to be rushing around on Sunday to get it done. Here are the main fabrics I'm using.

Then went to a first showing of a friends quilts at Kaladi Bros., came home and finished the binding for a customer's quilt, so when I get mine from Becca. i can get started on its binding--hooray!

Hooray--yesterday is over!

What a boring day!! Went to Anchorage( a 2 1/2 hour drive) , sat in a dr.'s waiting room for 3 hours, paid the guy over $800.00 for him to tell DH he didn't know WHAT was wrong with him, had dinner with oldest son ( that was the only bright spot in the day!), and drove home!! Yech!!!

Today was almost as bad!

Tomorrow I get to get up ridiculously early to take DH to the airport so he can go to work for 2 weeks . And as soon as I get home, I'll be drinking coffee and heading for the quilt studio--lots to do there. And Becca's daughter will be dropping off my quilt she quilted for me--in exchange for a set of dishes and a few extra pieces. Don't tell her I got the best part of that deal!!

My apron has arrived!!!!

Nathalie did a superb job--a retro style apron using retro fabric--how awesome is that!!! And a coffee scented candle, coffee scented wax melts, coffee napkins, coffee mixes in a coffee gift bag and a coffee cup with various types of coffee written on it. EVERYTHING is wonderful--she outdid herself. I LOVE it all!!!

Hot mama's

apron swap was sent and Christy has received it. That was a fun swap, but deadlines doing something I'm not comfortable with (like sewing!!) will not be repeated soon. Now if it was quilting...that's another story!

Visit with DS and fiance was fast and furious--kids didn't come. Becca and I had a long standing date that night, so I left before they did. They will be spending Thanksgiving with her family but will be here for Christmas--hooray!

The date with Bec was fun--and Juice Newton wasn't too bad for country. (Most country makes me very cranky and irritable--you don't want to be around me if I have had to listen to it for very long!) Gary Pucket had a cold and sore throat--darn!! He was still good, but not heart-stopping, swooning fabulous! Becca was fun, tho---for a good time call...oops, better not give out her phone number--she reads my blog!

Yesterday afternoon was boring--I did 4 loads of laundry and ironed 11 of DH's dress shirts and 6 of mine. 11!! No wonder he was mentioning the fact they weren't done--he was tired of wearing the same 3 that DON"T need ironing for the past 2 months!!

Today I plan on playing in the studio--I'm gonna time how long it takes to make a simple tablerunner from start to finish for a shop class. They are so stinkin' simple 'cuz the fabric does the work.

Life

goes on--man child is home till week from Friday--DH (Dear Husband) will be home Thursday night. They both work on the North Slope on a 2 and 2 schedule. I WAS planning on getting some quilty things accomplished, but not to be. I traded work days with Nancy--I'll work Thurs. and she'll take my Saturday, so I only have tomorrow to get things done. On the schedule is eyebrow waxing ( O joy!), house cleaning (Double joy!) and an MRI on my upper back ( More joy!).

And the reason for Sat off? Oldest man child (age 31) is coming down from Anchorage with fiance and her kids. He will use Dad's garage for tire changing and we will get to visit. Then that night Becca and I have a date to see Juice Newton and Gary Pucket in concert. My DH bought us the tickets when the Peace Officers Association called--he knew we'd love it. The last couple of years they brought up County Western artists (gagging sounds!!)

My mother was 'sposed to be flying in with a niece from Fargo ND on Thursday--just found out she fell and broke her hip today, so will be in a hospital instead! She had a stroke a couple of years ago and isn't in very good health to begin with. Needless to say, she and we are very disappointed!

Will post pictures of happenings and projects when Becca helps me figure this blog thing out!

Jody

Hello!

Well, Becca has struck again. That woman instigates more things.....quilting, a Dear Jane quilt, apron swaps, blogs....! However, I'm sure once I get the hang of this, I'll be addicted to this too. I tend to have an addictive personality. My sister told me it's a good thing I don't do drugs or I'd have to have one in every color! And she hasn't seen my fabric stash!!
Speaking of which, I'd best get out to my studio and finish the apron for the swap I was lured into--after another Americano--coffee is another one of my addictions.