Sunday Evening...

Twenty four degrees feels incredibly warm after last week with sub-zero weather.  Here are some snapshots taken as I ran the pups in the woods this afternoon.

Here is a  table piece I finished up for the Woodcarver that made the quilter's angel for me this Christmas.  The four center blocks were from a row of the month piece that I knew just wasn't 'meant to be'.   I found coordinating fabrics and added a border or two.  It's quilted  and off to it's new home.

There is beauty everywhere - even in the dead of winter... all you have to do is find it...

Have a good week.

A Gift....

Sometimes even staged photography can't help... well it helps a little....

I had studied the Pinterest photo for days.  It was the small piece I wanted to make for a friend who had lost her Mother-in-law recently.  I picked out fabrics I loved -- that favored her home.  I started working on it evenings after work a week ago-- coming down with that cold. Big Mistake, but I really had planned well, 

When it came time to connect the blocks I couldn't assemble them.  Things just didn't fit. I had no more fabric like this.

 I even brought Don in on it.  Finally we compromised and this is what we came up with:

" Mel, she can put a basket or a bowl of something in the middle.  It'll be fine..."  

I was disappointed    It wasn't very pretty, but I wanted her to know how I hurt for her loss and so I plugged away. Maybe the piece will look better quilted.  It wasn't until I was half way through quilting it that I looked under my sewing machine and found six missing blocks. Great.

It may not be the 'Blue Ribbon' piece I had hoped for, but I still want her to know how I feel.  Her Mother-in-law passed away right after Christmas--Everyone's lives have gone back to  normal...except theirs.  Her family lost someone they really loved.  I'm tying it up---With my own Blue Ribbon and giving it to her tomorrow....

January Word Play

It's not just a Photo...It really is winter.. It's six degrees out side and I'm stuck with--- you guessed it, a horrible cold. I did get out last evening and fill my car up before the temperatures dropped.  The high temperature this week is about 17 degrees. I walked into church long enough to drop of my Sunday school class material and let someone know they needed to get someone to teach. I had such high hopes for the weekend with quilting plans, but in the end I need to be grateful I had the time home to recuperate. 

  The photo is my current hand project.  It's Word Play by Brenda Gervais.  This is my first attempt at working with linen. I'm still really slow, but I think it's something that gets better with practice (and not having your nose in Kleenex constantly.)

Here's my mantle for January and February.  The grapevines are from my new secret source I harvested this fall.  

I did have a small scare Friday night.  A Propane leak where the propane enters the house lines.  I called my propane guy-- Friday after 5 pm... he came out and repaired it.  Be aware of your surroundings-- any changes to smells or the way things look. I dodged a lot of problems.

Sunday Agenda...

Church, Vege Pizza and Salad... Quilt all afternoon.....

Weekend Sewing

When I left the office on Friday--- all I kept thinking about was I had to knock out the weekend chores (housecleaning,grocery shopping) where I could do the fun stuff.  I got the borders sewn on two quilts.  Above I am working on the wool corner blocks.   The quilt called for a vine running through the borders but I love the prints so I am calling it "pieced' once I get the cornerstones complete. 

We have about four dog beds in our house (not  no mention mine!!!) but for some reason they always wind up together.  Ripley  7 1/2 months &  Bruno 3 years old.

Gratitudes:

Being able read-- what a gift

Clear roads on a cold day

A Warm Bed --- for me and my pups

First Completion 2013

My first completion 2013 - Hop to it Garden Quilt.  If you ever get the opportunity to make a quilt with a couple of friends --- do it.  Every time I look at this project I think about how much fun we had comparing  blocks and how we envisioned the quilt.

Pottery Barn-- Sort of....

Here's the Pottery Barn Photo.... It's called a Silverware Stocking.  I don't know if it was the holder or the plaid plate under it but I was completely charmed.  They were $29.00 for 4.  In the shape of a sweater stocking,  I rarely having just four at a 'deck-out' meal.  I refused to let go of the money.

Off I went to Goodwill.  For ninety-nine cents I brought home this and went to work.

The sweater was turned into 13 sweater pouches.  Squared off.  They aren't stocking shape where I could even use them for Valentine's Day or in the Fall with leaves tucked in.

I love the idea of making something for almost nothing.  I cut the sweater pieces 7.5 by 6.5 and stitched into a pocket shape.

Welcome 2013

Happy New Year....filled with all the hope and positive feelings one can possibly hold.  The year 2012 was not a bad one, but I have high hopes for this New Year.

I have decided to focus on the UFOs this year. Joining with Carrie, I have three projects targeted for January---pretty confident I can complete two of them.  I will start new ventures, but I am hoping  that I will lessen the UFOs.  My list is not that great.  I don't have the finances to hold onto too many things. 

The list will start  with the binding for my Hop To It Quilt.  I just have the handwork of turning the binding down...why haven't I already completed it????

Next is my Heart and Home Project.  I have borders, wool applique, quilting and a binding.  It's a big project but  hubby has some long hours predicted in January so if I can get the machine part done I absolutely love the wool handwork in the evenings.

My third is a nine patch project. It got placed on the 'back burner' because I didn't have border fabric.  I have the fabric now---and a backing.  Excuses are running out ....it's on January's list.

Last week I lost three elderly friends. I have hopes to make up a runner for each family--to take after life goes back to normal for everyone...everyone but the loved ones they were closest to.

One of the friends had not been ill.  I saw him at church and 3 days later he was gone.  There's a huge lesson here--One I want to focus on in the coming year.... Some things matter and some things just don't.  Focus on those things that really matter ...toss away the things that don't. Tell those that you love just that...that you love them.

Again ---Happy New Year.

 Welcome the new year 2013 with all it's possibilities.