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!

Quilting Again - Spice Pantry

This top had been hanging on my quilting tree for so long  - I can't remember when I made it.  What inspired me to get it out and quilt it was seeing a copy of the pattern in a book I brought home from the library.

I quilted the rows using red thread in the red rows and neutral in the light rows.

I used a silver grey thread on the back which blended in very well.  I did have a tension problem in a small section.  I removed it and requilted the section on my DSM.  

The backing fabric was given to me by a friend from her mom's stash.  I don't usually buy gilded fabrics but I really like this one.

I used a lighter red for the binding and as I finished it all by machine it is ready for the giving pile.a

Always makes me happy to finish something.

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

  The turkey is in the oven and the family will be here later with all the accompaniments. 

Perhaps some quilting will get done here this weekend as I doubt that I will venture out to the malls.

Town Employees Luncheon 2016

Each year for the past 13 years the Wendell Woman's Club has hosted  a luncheon for the Town of Wendell Employees in November to thank them for all the services they provide our town.
  We are fortunate to live in a small town where we know many of these folks personally so it is doubly enjoyable.  This year we made meat loaf with sauce, potato casseroles, sweet potatoes, green beans, slaw, deviled eggs, broccoli and tossed salad, fruit and homemade rolls.

It is nice to have our Parks & Rec, town office workers and police department as well as the town councilmen and mayor when available.  Our club has always had a good relationship with the town.

The dessert table in the kitchen was very busy. 

We had 4 different cakes, banana pudding, fruitcake and pecan pies.

And as a thank you our guests took down the  folding tables and chairs and stored them away for us.

How nice is that.

Thanks again Town of Wendell Employees  - we really do appreciate all you do to make Wendell such a nice place to call home.

Veteran's Quilts 2016

After our October Bee Meeting, I brought home some of the quilts that we had ready for delivery to the Veterans Hospital in Durham.  I bundled them up and tied them with leftover bindings.  

A few more were brought by members who were still working on their quilts.  There are about 40 quilts and 20 pillowcases pictured here.  

Pat brought more quilts when she came to my house on delivery day.  She also brought 5 bags of magazines (mostly back issues of Our State).  We had a car full when we loaded them all in my car.

It was a beautiful morning and we were so happy to deliver all these quilts and pillowcases made by our quilting friends: Members of the Undercover Bee, Pine Tree Quilters and 3 quilts were donated by a lady Pat met in a quilt shop.  

In all we gave 85 quilts  and 20 pillowcases to the Hospice Unit of the Durham VA Hospital this year.  Kudos to all the generous and caring quilters.