Celebrate……Every day there’s reason to celebrate. Some days it just takes longer to find that reason. I found out Monday that the place I work will take down time between Christmas and the New Year. The pay cut is tough but my kids will still go to school, the jeep will still have gasoline and there will still be a house --- warm with a refrigerator full of food. It could be so much worse. It’s just temporary but I’m a realist---it could turn into permanent down the road. But for now we will celebrate and say it will be family and quilt time at home. Once my kids get home for Christmas the snow can fall by the tons because there’s plenty of fabric and we will be snug inside.

I just pulled the pecan pie out of the oven. The Turkey goes in bright and early in the morning. Chelsey should be home around 9 or 10. Eric had a safe trip home.
Here are the next to last blocks to the Four Seasons Quilt I’ve worked on throughout 2008. I’m excited about the completion. I have a couple of Christmas presents have been stitched, but I can’t post until later. They are surprises.

I hope everyone takes time out to appreciate the goodness in all of our lives.

Happy Thanksgiving…..

It’s Sunday evening. I finally got tolerable weather for my Neighborhood quilt. That’s what I call this BOM quilt officially called the House Sampler from Cottage quilts. I wished over it for two years before signing up for the project.


We went to Green Bay Christmas Shopping this weekend. I made considerable progress. It was chaotic in the stores. You’d never know there was economic woes across the nation. I did make more cautious buying decisions and avoided quilting stores. I guess I recognize my weaknesses.

The kids will be home Wednesday. Chelsey will not be home till Thursday morning as she will be working Wednesday until dark. I’d rather her not be on the road. They’ve already got 14 inches of snow on the ground. It’s the responsible decision. I sat back Friday night and thought….my kids are coming home for a holiday—oh no—they might be turning into adults!?!? It’s tough for a Mom.

It’s tough on Ransom too. He’s hanging tight with me… but I don’t think I’m as much fun as the kids…
Gratitudes—
Pine cones
My favorite Coffee Mug
Don and Ransom’s Company

Home…..It’s always great to visit other places, but there is nothing like being home. My folks are doing great. Over the next week, I’ll write down stories, because I don’t want to forget them. Here’s my old green--- new black jelly cupboard with a quilt draped over it.
Every once in a while the folds fall just right and I love the look of the pumpkin. This was a Thimbleberries Club quilt from several years ago.

The weekend before my trip--- I attempted to make a pencil roll designed by Kathy at Pink Chalk Studio. I had wished over it over about 9 months.
Four months ago I bought the colored pencils thinking it would be a great surprise for Chelsey. My pattern called for 13 pencils and I had 24.
Some people are gifted enough to “monkey” with the pattern and adjust it to work--- I’m obviously not. The strips were to be cut 1.5 inches. I thought a quarter of and inch wouldn't matter so that I could incorporate more colors. Wrong! It was a complete disaster. On top of that, I used batting when the pattern called for flannel inside. I should have just emailed Kathy and talked to her about it. 3 hours of sewing Sunday was wasted. But I regrouped and two days later I started again and it was worth it. She loved the gift. The fabrics were filled with memories.

“Mom--- you used my Prom dinner table cloths.”
“You made me a purse out of the turquoise.”
“ I bought you the Baby –Blue”
“My favorite is the White”
“I know how you love plaids”
“I was with you when you got the green.”
“The key on the bottom is your trademark.”

“Mom--- I love it….my friends say that I can’t use it. I need to saved it…”

I stopped at the cleaners last week to pick up clothes. On the way to the car I saw dried hydrangea bushes. I went back in—on impulse—and asked if I could cut the dead flowers. The girl’s response was “I don’t know why you’d want dead flowers, but take all you want…”


So here they are and they’re going on the Christmas tree. I think it’s just going to be beautiful.

Gratitudes:
My kids coming home for Thanksgiving.
Quiet days at work
Southern Living Magazines sent home with me by my Mom

Tuesday and tons to talk about. The last month of my House Sampler is Complete and the quilt is entirely piece, just no photo opts.
Maybe this afternoon. As soon as my Christmas sewing is complete, we’ll get this baby quilted.
Chelsey sent me this dishtowel from school. She said is looked like me. I think it’s almost too nice to use.

I won!!! I did, I won a complete quilt kit from Carrie Nelson at Miss Rosie’s Quilt Company.
The Pattern, Fabric and Even borders fabrics came. I even brought it to work one day to wish on. Made a tough day easier to get through. OK--- I just wish I had hand writing like this lady…Another thing to put on the “to do” list… practice penmanship.


Lastly, My latest Purchase, The Crow napkin rings. Perfect for anytime of the year. They were mail-ordered from Farmhouse Woolens.
Even though I’m on a budget, some things you just can’t live without.

I’m off Thursday for a long weekend to visit my folks in Louisiana. Don and Ransom will be “Bachelors” roughing it without me. I can’t wait to see my folks.

It’s called Saltboxes in the Corner. And it’s complete…..well pieced anyway. It’s supposed to have a 4 inch black border all the way around, but this quilt is queen-size already, so I’m opting for black binding instead. It was so much fun. It’s the first time I’ve used wool in a quilt. I’ve got to create a backing.

This is legally defined as a stash buster. I only purchased the wool. I’m kicking around piecing one more house and including it in the backing. It was an incredibly accurate and easy pattern. I have many memories of quilters stitched into it as we have traded and swapped fat quarters the last couple of years.


I had an email chat with a quilter today. We talked about houses and decorating and wishes and “want to’s” dealing with the wood, nails, and brick contraption we call home. I firmly believe it’s never the ‘House’ that looks great, it’s what you do with it and the love--- not $$$ poured into it.

We bike ride all summer long and I took the time to photo some of the homes on our path.

Most, if not all, looked empty throughout the summer. I always imagine them being cottages for weekenders or maybe camps for winter hunters, or maybe just hide-aways for people needing a chance to escape the city.
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As we ride I tell Don stories of the people that I think live there or if I owned the house exactly where the quilts would be.

So I guess ending this post of a House quilt …maybe the same concept is true--- it’s not how much money you pour into the quilt but the love that’s there in the stitches that makes the difference.