LOOKING BACK and forward

2011 was a good year for my family and myself.

I was able to complete several projects,

learn some new techniques

and even completed two rag rugs.

I have a family that I love and that loves me.

{ can't get better than that in this world }

My children are moving toward their goals,

becoming independent adults with gifts to make a better world for themselves and others.

I am so proud of this FAMILY

looking forward to seeing what we accomplish 

in 2012 !

HAPPY NEW YEAR 

CHRISTMAS and MAPPING THE NEW YEAR

Christmas was a three day experience at my home this year.

On Monday we were still opening presents because my youngest had to work all of Christmas weekend.

We enjoyed a lovely slow day of opening gifts and eating more food.

Mr.P and I were done with cooking so we decided to all go out for dinner.

Great idea!

Let someone else serve and then the best; clean up!

It was a lovely Christmas 

but am glad the new year is around the corner.

I am anxious to get started on my list of projects.

1. Putting together a sewing group with the younger generation.

Things we will be making

Aprons

Bloomers

Night Gowns

and of course Quilts.

2. Scheduling a more consistant Monday Group

This group is more than a sewing circle.

The women are all different ages and have life experiences very different from each other.

I love to sit, sew and listen to the many different opinions and experiences.

It is a very" centering" group of women for me.

 3. Quilt Projects

Way to many to name, if I get even half completed I will be Over the Moon.

4. Crochet

I am in love with crochet !

It is mindless, colorful and transportable.

I have 4 projects on my mind.

One that I swoon over, I found at Cottage 1945

I have the yarn given to me as a gift from a dear friend Julie.

5. Some personal growth 

These growth opportunities I may or may not post about. 

I am sure we all have growth opportunities in our life's

that could include areas from heath to reading a novel.

I like to map out the New Year.

My map is always fluid because lets face it,

Life doesn't read my map.

What are your projects for 2012 ?

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another obscure village, where He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty, and then for three years He was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never owned a home. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put his foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself. He had nothing to do with this world except the naked power of His divine manhood. While still a young man, the tide of public opinion turned against Him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth while He was dying—and that was his coat. When he was dead He was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend. Nineteen wide centuries have come and gone and today He is the centerpiece of the human race and the leader of the column of progress. I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever were built, and all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned, put together have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that One Solitary Life.

James Allan Francis (1864–1928)

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Wishing all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

Have a wonderful safe day.

TURBO PIECING

I love to run fabric through my machine.

And some how something wonderful always comes together.

My latest joy about quilting is hunting for vintage sheets and fabrics.

Oh they are so soft and worn to perfection like an old pair of Levi jeans.

I cut and sewed this charmer together in about 4 hours

using my new method " turbo piecing ".

Now I am not silly or senile enough yet to think I am the only one to think of this.

As I have found just about everything in quilting has been done before.

But what I did was not cut any of the threads while sewing.

I sewed all the vertical rows first

and here is the new part....

I did not cut one horizontal row of threads that the vertical rows made. 

I ironed every other row of seams one way, then flipped the top to iron all the other  rows of seams in the opposite direction.

Then I sewed all the horizontal rows together.

What a time saver !!!

No cutting all those rows apart, ironing , laying them out to finally sewing them all back together.

The rows were placed perfectly, no mixing up a row by mistake.

Loved this and will be sewing quilts together using this method again.

I sew with  The Friday Sew-In group
I'm tired now good night !

CHANGING OF THE GUARD

My boss for the last 17.5 years is retiring this month and what a loss it is for our department.

She was the best Head Nurse I worked for in my 30 plus years as a nurse.

She set the bar hi for her staff.

She trained me on the Heart Team

[ and what fun that team was, long hours but laughs that just made  time fly ]

OK maybe not "fly" but we did have fun.

She left the Heart Team to be Head Nurse of the OR for the last 15 years.

She was funny

had a sharp wit 

and a temper that went with it but rarely seen.

She made BEAUTIFUL jewelry to keep herself sane when she was not at the hospital.

But the cutest thing of all she rode a little motor scooter to work.

RR will be  MISSED beyond  all imaginations.

This quilt was commissioned by the Management team for me to make for RR.

I sure hope RR likes it because I sure liked working for RR these past years.

{ finish up friday }

BOKEH and THINGS

I have been a busy girl around here and under not such great conditions !

Am putting on the finial touches on above quilt, more on this tomorrow.

Found some old acrylic yarn in my store [ sewing room ], and am making another crochet blanket, this one for the puppies.

They loved the last one and were always in it. 

Well they shed too much and Sam had a little "lemonade" accident on it.

He gets soo excited to see us he will sometimes make " lemonade", then he won't even look at us, he is so embarrassed.

Wool blankets that can't be wash and dried in the machine are not for puppies,

so they will be getting this dog friendly blanket.

I love bokeh and my friend Julie does a beautiful job getting it just right.

Me, I try and I get this. Love the picture but not the effect I am looking for.

Practice practice is all I can do and will do !

So why are things not under the best conditions around here.

My back again is out of whack.

Not just a little, but more so everyday.

If my leg is not on "fire" it is tingling or sleeping.

Glad some part of my body is getting rest.

I have some "anticonvulsant"drug to help calm the nerves down,

however it calms down all the nerves in my entire body. 

Talk about feeling like Gumby.

Mr. P ask if he was going to get a hug and I said:" sure just pick up my arms and wrap them around you".

I have to get to January then I can get another  Epidural Steroid Injection.

Love, love those things !!

Getting older is not for the weak at heart.

The good news is every morning I wake up stiff or even hurting I know I am still on the planet.

Have a wonderful Thursday!!!!

WINTER and CHRISTMAS

I'm a little behind here in every aspect of my life.

These photos were taken last week during yet another snowstorm.

I love being home when the wind is blowing and the snow is flying !

I was worried about Rocky though. He lives high in the tree {3rd picture from right}.

That tree bend and swirled in the snowy weather.

I wanted to go out and yell up to Rocky " are you doing alright up there"?,

but then what if he answered" no I'm cold ".

Then what, would I be obligated to ask him in to sit by the fire and have a cup of tea?

These things can just get to involved and confusing, so I just watched the tree and his nest all day.

He should of had a good layer of fat under his belt, Rocky ate most of the pumpkin.

I did get the house decorated today. I always hem and haw about how much decorating I should do.

I try to remember what goes up must come done and be put away!

So I chose the middle of the road this year,

enough to be cheerful and Christmasy,

but not to much where I will be overwhelmed on January 1, take down day!

Saddie and Sam helping Eric getting the fireplace lit. Do not let them fool you they are only interested in lying in front of the fire soaking up it's heat.

Christmas...Crochet....Snow

It is that time of year to get out the holly and lights.

I found some lights that I think belonged to DS that have been sitting in storage for the past 11 years.

So I thought I would throw them up and I mean literally throw them on the tree.

Yup, this is how they all landed and I did not change a one.

I had plans to throw more lights up the next day but this came along...

Another snow storm !

I really enjoyed the day,

playing Christmas music

sewing

and baking.

I was able to finish this candy eye baby crochet blanket

Using up some left over yarns.

She is sweet is she not ?

This lovely blanket is headed for Catholic Charities

I hope some beautiful little girl will enjoy being cuddle in her warm wool. 

I'm linking up the blanket with Crazy Mom Quilts finish up Friday.

I love getting things done !

I saw these towels at an Estate sale last week and feel in LOVE

But for some crazy reason I can't get these  rhymes out of my head:

High diddle diddle,
The Cat played the Fiddle,
The Cow jump'd over the Moon,
The little dog laugh'd to see such Craft,
To which the Dish kicked the Spoon

And then their is this one 

I'm a little teapot,

Short and stout,

Here is my handle,

Here is my spout ,

When I get all steamed up,

Hear me shout,

Tip me over and pour me out!

I'm a clever teapot,

Yes, it's true,

Here's an example of what I can do,

I can turn my handle into a spout, 

Tip me over and pour me out!

Love Estate Sales !