Sample Finished

Last week I finished the borders on this sample for Ladybug.   It is 44 by 56".  I think she will probably offer a class in Jan. or Feb.  It was pretty fun  - used a specialty ruler for half square log cabin blocks.  Now I can work on some of the other things in the little spare moments that are hard to come by this time of year.  This is the prime weekend for parties and other Christmas activities.

I dusted  off my little sewing room tree - I used it in my dining room last year so I had really cleaned it up then.  You can imagine how much dust it collects in the sewing room.

We had a fun and games party on Friday evening.

Molly and Hannah home for Christmas break.

They're just home from work!

 Catching up 

Oops - a different punch maker tonight.

Now she's the craft leader.

 We had lots of fun - charades - games  - food and even a craft.  We made scented sugar scrubs.  A full evening - Jesse, Vince and Paul even watch the Polar Express.  Too Funny!!!

Saturday at the Extended Family Party.  We all put on Molly's red lipstick for a Girl Pic.

Three Years - A Little Cutting Bee

Merry Christmas.

Gordon at three years in 1963.

 I hope he's listening to his favorite music and thinking about working on an old jeep.  Or cooking up a barbecue or maybe a pot of chili. I know he's thinking about his boys.

We'll be missing him -  but I know he and his dad will be together, spending their third Christmas with their Heavenly Father. 

Pulling out all the purples for step 3.

Have to have the iron close by - I wonder how many strips I need to make 168 four patches.

After three hours  - I finished cutting strips.  As long as I have the fabrics out and pressed, 

I cut one or two 3 1/2 inch strips as well as the 2" strips I needed for the four patches.

The smaller pieces of fabric, I cut as many strips as I could rather than put them back on the shelf.

Now for some sewing time.

Pinwheels for Caroline

This is a large quilt top that I finished in early November.  It's from a purchased pattern called Pinwheels for Caroline.

Love the pieced border

I finally chose a backing from some fabric that I bought at Quilt Lizzy in Warrenton, NC.  

I don't get there very much now that the lake house has sold - I drove right by it so ......most times if they were open I would stop in.

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Time to swap out the wreaths

This

for this 

This

for this

This 

For This  - sorry to the little newt who likes to hide out under it!

The noel sasanqua is so pretty  - my photo skills can't begin to do it any justice.  So cheery outside my side door.

Christmas Lights - Mystery Quilt

Oh yes - of course - I started making blocks for the Bonnie Hunter mystery.  I did manage to make step 2 but I am way behind on step 1.  A friend gave me some of her extra four patches Tuesday so I only need about 100 more. Thanks Wanda!  

Yesterday afternoon I went to the movies with a friend.

We saw Allied which was really good.

On the way home we went by Piper Lights out on Fixit Shop Road.

It has been there for years and I have passed by it many times ( it's only about 5 miles from here) but never realized that they had so many lights out behind their place.  I never even knew they called Piper Lights.

They won the Great American Christmas Light Show this week!   WHO KNEW!!!

Well long story short we took the back roads home and checked it out - good job Piper family.

Last year a family in Clayton which is about 12 miles from here won - amazing.

May have to check them out too.  

John and I used to pack the kids in the car before Christmas to see the Christmas displays and lights. 

We sure never saw any like this but we enjoyed all the same. 

More Decorating /Progress on Ladybug Sample

After Bible Study this morning the Worship Committee met to decorate the Sanctuary for the Christmas Season.  We have a room on the third floor where we store everything except candles and the Communion Elements. 

The 12' tree is the hardest thing to get down.  We are so fortunate to have Keith to help us with all the heavy stuff etc.  Our tree is several years old and the lights have a mind of their own.  I think it is a defective fuse on one set of lights - they go out for a few minutes every now and then.

This was the first artificial we ever had in the church.

My friend Kissie and myself made the original Chsistmons for the tree in the early 1980's.  The youth leader and the youth made more in the 1990's. And we always displayed them on a real tree.

However a few years ago the fire marshall required that we switch to an artificial tree.

Some of the older Christmas have shown wear so about ten years ago, I made a lot of new ones.  I still have some beads and supplies and one of these days I plan to make a few more.

Well it it all ready for the children to place the Christmon Ornaments on it Sunday morning.

I love our windows!

I  have the center of the Half Log Cabin for Ladybug sewn together.  I need to go in and get a little more fabric for the inner border.  Then I can finish it up.

Quilting Gift/ Christmas Time

A friend of mine who has a long arm quilting business made me this nice little gift.  It's quite simple  - a plastic square that she edged with painter's tape.

Just lay it over your quilt or block and audition possible quilting designs with a felt tip erasable pen.
Erase with a soft cloth or a scrap of batting and reuse as many times as you wish.  Thanks Carol.

Decorating by stages this year:  Tree and Nativity

This was a gift from one of my daughters when the Jim Shore sets came out and the angel was added later by another daughter.

Last year after Christmas I took all the lights off my pre-lit tree as they had failed in a couple of spots.

I put different types of colored lights on it this year.   I included a couple of strings of new lights.  It was a pleasant surprise to discover some of the lights were lavender.

Still hanging a few more ornaments each day.

I'm  fan of more is more when it comes to the tree.

December Kickoff - Cookie Walk- and a project for LadyBug

For the past 4 years our church has been having a Cookie Walk.  We also have a live nativity that evening and entertainment.  Choirs singing, a bagpiper, and all the cookies and cocoa you could wish for.  This year I made lemon flavored cranberry-almond biscotti.

As well as the usual - Sand Tarts.

I needed a dedicated cookie sheet washer.

As you enter  - you get a box to fill with your choice of cookies and candy.

We had a Hot Cocoa bar - check out the balloon sculpture!

 Ballons from the kitchen.

Oh yes  - we had freshly made cinnamon buns!

A cute little place to make a selfie or for a Kodak moment.

The Town had the tree lighting in the square, stores were open and there is a light show across from the town square.  Santa was also on hand for the little ones.  The weather was just perfect not too cold and it was nice to bump into old friends while wandering around town.

I have had this fabric and pattern for a few weeks!  I should have started on it long before this.  Joyce is very understanding but I feel a little guilty.  SEW -SEW-SEW!!!

Thanksgiving and a New Project

The younger kiddies (actually they're all adults) hanging out and waiting for dinner.

The gals are making some apple cider punch.

Hmmm! Adding a little punch to the punch!

Finally everything is ready.  We ate, watched football, made some December plans and played games.   Daniel had to work so waited for him and had dessert.  

A new scrappy project  - I am definitely tossing all my little scraps after this one!