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Monday, December 31, 2012

Sometimes

you just have to chuckle at yourself. After I was finished free motion quilting the whole wall hanging Friday, I decided to put the walking foot back to do straight line quilting on the borders. When, low and behold, I had been free motion quilting with my embroidery foot. Oh well, it worked. But, what was I thinking?


I usually wait until the first weekend after the 1st to take down Christmas decorations. This year, I am in a hurry to get them down. I guess because I know it will take a day or so to get them down and we go back to school on the 3rd. So I got most of them packed away and the boxes put back in the closet yesterday.

I haven't been away from the house since Christmas Eve (except to go to the movie with Larry on Saturday) so I have to go to town to pick up a few things for the New Year's Eve gathering. I have to laugh because when Larry had my vehicle and I couldn't get out, all I wanted to do was go to town. But now I have my vehicle and I don't want to go anywhere. Why are we like that?

The snow out the back door is almost melted away but in the front . . .

 

It is a really dreary day out today. I need the sun!

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Friday, December 28, 2012

One of those days . . .

when nothing goes right. I decided to make a winter banner to hang outside. I was planning to machine embroidery on it.

So I got out my machine and then realized I hadn't loaded the embroidery software on my Macbook yet. It was only installed on my pc--which quit working quite a while ago. So I loaded it on my Macbook, downloaded the design, made changes, and saved it.  When I got ready to write it to the card that fits into my embroidery machine, it wouldn't write to it. So after messing with it for a couple of hours, I finally figured out that the card reader I had to use is not working any longer.

So, it was 11 o'clock and I had nothing accomplished. Bummer!!! I had planned to quilt while the embroidery machine was running so that didn't happen either.

Had a quick light lunch and then got busy on this panel I had purchased a couple of years ago. I don't usually buy panels and only did because it was on clearance and I had just decorated my bathroom with bird houses. 


Anyway, I did a quick stitch in the ditch around the triangles and decided to follow the pattern of the fabric for the quilting. 


My question is . . . "Would you leave the bird puffy like it is or do some thread painting in that area follow all of the lines in the design."

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Today I

was able to accomplish quite a bit. I started off washing sheets from Craig's bed. Him and Becca will probably be spending New Year's Eve here. Yippee.

I took extra time cleaning the kitchen, mopping the floor and all. It's been awhile since I really scrubbed it good.

I worked a little bit on my sewing room, especially to see how many quilts I have started and not finished. I want to eventually get plastic boxes to put things in to make the room a little neater and less cluttered looking.

I spent a little bit of time picking up and putting away Christmas presents and boxes that we left out. I always leave my gifts under the tree for a few days.

I also went out to photo the latest holiday quilt I made. I took pictures before but decided I really needed snow for the backdrop. Well, I got that yesterday. I decided to add a couple of other props and make a new blog header while I was at it.



I walked up to the mailbox to get the mail and it wasn't there. It had fallen over got knocked over. Who knows. Another job for Larry.

So, what did you accomplish today?

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Oh my,

I decided to do a little updating to my sidebar and stopped short when I realized that my UFO's have not changed in over a year.  I guess I have made new quilts and just haven't finished the old. I guess I know what I need to be working on this year.  (I also need to straighten my sewing room and put everything in a place.)

The star quilt that I am hand quilting is at a standstill. I took it down when I starting decorating for Christmas but moved some things around and was able to get it back up. I need to concentrate on it.


Below I have listed some good Christmas/Christian movies that I watched recently on Netflix. I should have been quilting while watching. (Instead of messing around on the computer.)

The Letter Writer
The Shunning 
A Christmas Kiss
Dear Santa
Christmas Lodge
The Second Chance
Christmas Puppy
What if . . .
Snow Men
Shadow Island Mysteries: Wedding for One
Shadow Island: The Last Christmas
New Hope
The Heart of Christmas
WWJD II: The Woodcarver

It would seem that all I do is watch movies but I start watching Christmas shoes in November. Probably because they are upbeat, happy, and without violence or cursing.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Snow?

Oh my, yes. We got 10 - 11  inches yesterday.  Sadly, Christmas was cut short. The kids had to go home early.




But, isn't it beautiful.

Not sure what I plan to accomplish today. I have a winter snowman quilt I would like to begin quilting, but I forgot to purchase batting for it.

I may just straighten up my sewing room. Oops, I already decided I need some plastic shoe boxes to proceed.

I have plenty of projects that I can work on and plenty of things to do around the house. So why do we always want to do something we can't. I can go for days during the summer not leaving the house. Now I am snowed in for a couple of days and I want to go out.

Well, I'll find something to do.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Christmas blessings

to all of you out there. May your day be blessed.


Christmas for many in our area may be cut short because of the snow that is heading our way. But then again, it may be extended for some as family stays home instead of traveling today.

My wish for you today is to stay warm, rest, visit, and create memories.

Merry Christmas to all!


Monday, December 24, 2012

It's Christmas Time in the Country

 

 I have been wanting a flocked Christmas tree. I got this one in 2008--I may get another one this Christmas.

Do you get up early even when you don't have to because that is your routine -- or do you sleep in whenever possible? I am almost always up and around before 7 am.  On school days, I am up at 4:30, out of habit. When my children were still at home, that was my quiet time. Now, it is a habit. I get up and do my morning devotions and drink a couple cups of coffee in silence before I get ready for the day.

Today, I was up by 6:30 and feel like I slept the day away. lol 

I plan to spend this morning making chocolate chip cookies and dipping marshmallow pretzel sticks in chocolate.The kids will be arriving around noon, or shortly thereafter.

We will go to my mother-in-law's home for a few hours in the afternoon and then travel about five miles for Christmas with my family. Hopefully, the kids and I will attend midnight mass at Subiaco Abbey. It has been many years since I have gone to midnight mass there. I remember when I was growing up, I loved to hear the monks singing. Larry is working on Chritsmas Eve again this year.  That's just how his rotation worked out. Hopefully, next year he will be off both Christmas Eve and Christmas day.

We are watching a big snow system that is heading our way. I love seeing the wonderful white snow covering the land and trees, but I don't like being stuck inside.


The view out the back door in 2008.

But, I am thankful we are out for the holidays and I don't have to get out. I guess Larry and I will be shoveling the driveway again as he has to go to work on the 27th.


Our driveway peaks at the top by the road and at the house. Both of these areas almost always have to be shoveled. Usually by me. It is invigorating to say the least.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Wow!

This year really has flown by. I've been off from school since last Wednesday afternoon and am really enjoying it. I've read an Amish Series "Jacob's Daughter" on my Kindle. I think all 7 books in the series cost me around $13.

My latest project was to make each of my sister's a pillow for Christmas.


Oh, and above the pillows are the new stockings I made. I needed to make a stocking for Becca, so I made us all a new one. I absolutely love the simplicity of them. 

I made the pillows for myself to begin with and then decided to give them  away, so the next time I go to Fort Smith I am going to have to purchase some more burlap.

I hung the Merry Christmas quilt above the wood stove in the den.


I decided to show you a couple of handcrafted items I made from scrap quilts.


This one has a wooden base.


This one is all fabric.  Both of these have been around for over10 years. I haven't really made much hand crafted items, except quilt-y things, in several years.

Well, tomorrow is going to be a busy day and I still have a few ornaments to stitch for my family.


Happy snipping, stitching and quilting!

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