Today I decorated the tree for a while. Then decided to take a break and sew some. First I altered the sleeve length on a shirt for DH. And then on to something fun....A couple weeks ago I told where I had bought this OESD machine embroidery CD "Secret Santa". This week DD bought three turtlenecks for the oldest two of her three precious baby girls for me to do some designs on. She had picked out two designs from this card...

...to do on two of them. She picked out this tree for the two and half year old...

...and this sweet treats stocking design for the one and half year old...

Sweet Treats is actually to do for a jar lid cover...but she thought it would be cute on the shirt. I tried to remove the outer border and just have the stockings, candy and the circle of pink snowflakes but I was having issues with the design software and gave up on that idea.

Next one to do is a pink turtleneck for the 1 and half year old which she wants me to do the frog in a pink tu-tu.

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all ! ! !

Happy Thanksgiving y'all ! ! !

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving with those you hold near and dear to your hearts.

Christmas Stocking Swap

Today I received beautiful Strip Christmas Stocking from Judy Sinclair. This was a swap on Yahoo's Scrappy Quilts Group. I'm thrilled. I didn't go through the stocking to see what is in it but I did notice a much needed book of sewing needles (her elves must have been poking around my sewing things) and some gorgeous fabrics poking over the top of the stocking.

I hung it by my fireplace and saving (well trying) it for Christmas morning to go through it. The only hook was the ones the fire tools are hanging from...but since the past 12 years now we've had gas logs and no longer burn wood, the tools are no longer used so the stocking won't be disturbed.

Scrappy Crumb Quilts

Ok, Laurie from Buttons 'n' Lace and Chip's Place emailed me I hadn't posted in a while....so here goes... I've read about Crumb Quilts on various blogs and sites. I decided that is just up my alley. I have TONS of SCRAPS that I just can't bear to toss in the trash so this is perfect idea for me. I read several methods and just more or less took some ideas from them and came up with what works for me.

I have taken a Scrap Therapy Cutting Workshop where we cut three different size squares. And previous I was cutting my scraps using Bonnie Hunter's method. So I had lots of odd pieces and shapes of fabric crumbs. These Crumbs (the smallest I use is one-inch square) I picked one randomly from basket and sewed it to a strip, grab another and sew it. Whack apart with either scissors or rotary cutter to even up the edges...this wasn't perfect didn't use a ruler just eyeballed it. Sometimes I sewed those to a strip, or to each other and on and on.

Today I decided I needed a break been wrapping gifts for Christmas...been cleaning out the pantry (though you'd never know it) and some kitchen cabinets around the stove area. Really need to hit under the cook-top again and declutter it. At least for a few days it's clean and organized. I'm sure with Thanksgiving cooking won't stay that way long!!! SO-OO I sewed I took some of those odd sized squares for lack of better description and added some here and there to make them basically 10 inch squares. Well, only got two 10 inch squares and a bunch of smaller squares.

These are really random...sometimes the fabrics clash, sometimes the same fabric next to each other. Doesn't really matter. Seams are not straight. This is not rocket science. And QUILT POLICE are NOT ALLOWED!!! The pieces are crooked. One piece of fabric may be narrower or wider at one end or side than the other....

I'll try to get some pics and and them to this posting within a couple days.

I am trying to decide if to just sew these blocks together or to cut into even square blocks with square ruler and use sashing. The idea is for me to make three doll quilts for the three youngest granddaughters...2-1/2, 1-1/2, and 2 months...Figure I might as well do one for the baby while making them for her big sisters dollies.

Xerox Is Doing Something Cool

I received the following email today and checked it out with TruthorFiction.com and it said it is the truth.....so I went to the site and sent card to soldier overseas....thought you may like to do it also.

XEROX IS DOING SOMETHING COOL
If you go to this web site, http://www.letssaythanks.com/ you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq . You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services.How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! It is FREE and it only takes a second.Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these? Whether you are for or against the war, our soldiers over there need to know we are behind them.This takes just 10 seconds and it's a wonderful way to say thank you. Please take the time and please take the time to pass it on for others to do. We can never say enough thank you's.Thanks for taking to time to support our military!

Sweet Liberty Give Away

Be sure to drop by and visit Sweet Liberty. She is having a really nice give away. Dead line to register is November 19th.

Turkey Art Work, Embroidery CD's and Fabric

This is my precious 2-1/2 old grandbaby taken yesterday when she came by here from her morning at pre-school to show us what she did in art. Is that not the most beautiful turkey you have ever seen?

I had a call today my embroidery CD had come in at my favorite Bernina dealer/quilt store---Nancy's Calico Patch. So I went down and I picked up this...

I was in there the other week and ordered it since it has some designs I think will be adorable on the newest grandbaby's onesies. And some that will be cute on T-shirts for the 1-1/2 and 2-1/2 year old.

Since I had paid for it when I ordered it and I had debated about this one

I decided to go ahead and bite the bullet and the Christmas one on plastic. It too has some cute things to put on the three grandbaby girl's clothes. I'm sure their mommy will find some shirts for me to "worded them" as the 2-1/2 calls it when I did one for her for Halloween and baby sister when she was born in Sept.

Since I am addicted to fat quarters I saw these and had to have them. The upper right hand corner one is of jelly beans. I am collecting food prints for a quilt/throw for my kitchen to throw over one of the two recliners in there by the fireplace.

And I saw this panel for a fabric book to make for the grandbabies.

This is what a section of the panel looks like.

Since I used my market bag...


The shop sells the bag, you embroider Nancy's Calico Patch on it and anything else you desire you receive a free gift when you use your bag when you make a purchase. There is a minimal purchase amount. I don't recall how much but it's something like $15-$20.

Today the gift was to grab a pattern from a basket. And this is the pattern I grabbed...


I think a couple of the fat quarters I bought today would be cute to use in that purse.

Old Red Barn Quilt Give Away

Be sure to go by and visit with OLD RED BARN !!!

She is giving away THREE wonderful quilts!!

I just LOVE the fabrics she used in these three quilts. Doesn't she have a marvelous color sense?

They are all so beautiful I can't begin to pick my most favorite!

Be sure to go by and visit with OLD RED BARN !!! And maybe you will be one of the LUCKIEST three people on this earth to win one of these beauties! ! !

Thanksgiving

I've been shopping ahead for Thanksgiving Dinner. The turkey breasts (four) are in the freezer. The Darden Ham is ordered. Darden Ham is an old type Smithfield cured ham using the Darden Family recipe for curing---which is salty and wonderful. Must be sliced thin! They are cured and sold by the Darden Family (Tommy and Dee Dee) in Smithfield, Virginia at their country store. YUM YUM YUMMY!!! Today I bought sweet potatoes and stringbeans (canned) from Sam's Club. I'll wait until Thanksgiving week to buy fresh collards. Yeast for the rolls as I was about out. Sweet potatoes will become sweet potato pudding with marshmellow topping and the canned stringbeans will be drained, washed well and seasoned with a hunk of scrap piece from the Darden Ham. The collards will be seasoned with the ham hock from the said ham.

I also bought four bags of Black Walnuts! That will be enough for two Black Walnut Cakes for Christmas. I may make three of them. One for me, one for my father-in-law and one for my sister and brother-in-law. Also three pound cakes. Both recipes date back to my great-great-grandmother Mary Elizabeth "Cotton" Kirwan-Billups. The Walnut cake her daughter Aunt Mamie gave to my mother and the Pound cake Aunt Mamie's daughter Georgia gave the recipe to me.

I also loaded up on sugar, cocoa, and evaporated milk for fudge. I try to get a batch done for Thanksgiving. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas I make a ton of Fudge for the family, neighbors and friends.

Christmas Stocking Swap--it's in the mail ! ! !

Today I mailed the stocking I made for the swap off to Merry ole England! Or is it Jolly ole England? A first for me to mail something internationally.

We were to make a string stocking using this free pattern . We were to use scraps from our stash of Christmas fabrics. Purchase gifts to put into the stocking and mail it off by November 15 so they would arrive in plenty of time for the reciplicant to hang for Christmas. When I mailed it I was afraid I was a day or two late...I was thinking the 11th...but Post Offices closed here for Veteran's Day and yesterday I wasn't able to get to the Post Office.

I forgot to take a picture of the stocking before mailing...

However, after I mailed it I took picture of the fabrics


Which were cut into strips...like these

We were to spend around $15 for the items we used to stuff the socking. I bought a little fabric cutter. One I have never seen before. I bought one for myself too but yet to try it out. I put in a two metallic spools of thread, one regular sewing thread, various types of quilting pins, a marker, one of the things to clean and heal rotary cutting mats, a fat eighth of fabric and some pieces of Christmas theme ribbons. Some of the items I wraped in some scraps of fabric which a few I pinned with the curved quilting safety pins. I lined the box I shipped it in with two fat quarters of fabric.

The stocking turned out much smaller than I expected it to be. The next time I use this pattern I will add seam allowance to it and use the cutting line as the stitching line. I also didn't make the holly decoration at the cuff. I had purchased the gifts before sewing the stocking. I was afraid they would not fit into the stocking. One item I purchased didn't so I added the thread and the cutter in place of the item that wouldn't fit. I hope she is pleased and not disappointed with it.

I'm looking forward to recieving my stocking this secret pal made for me. This is my second swap. The first one was a bust...I made a Halloween Apron, bought a few little items I included in the package and mailed it off to Texas and that lady has yet to send me the apron she was to make for me. I emailed her I had not received it, if lost she may want to file insurance claim if she insured it. NOT word one from her. I don't now expect to ever see it.

Christmas---Are You Getting Ready?

Are you getting ready for Christmas yet? I love Christmas! I get crazy, over tired, etc., but I still love every aspect about it!

I have taken down my witches I had outside for Halloween. The pumpkins, gourds and scarecrows, mums, etc., are still out there.

I have been Christmas Shopping and seeing the daylight to finishing that part of it. I have started wrapping. Going to spend an hour wrapping in a few minutes.

Yesterday we did one of our Christmas traditions...attend the Virginia Christmas Show at the Showplace in Richmond. A great craft show for lack of a better word. More of a Bazaar. In a few weeks my favorite Christmas show is Bizarre Bazaar. DH, DD, and three DGD's drove up for it. DH pushed stroller with 1-1/2 and six week old DGD's. The 2-1/2 DGD walked around with one or the other of us. Ladies from Charleston, SC were there with their wonderful Charleston cookies. I bought small bag of each type as I couldn't decide. The wonderful Amish lady from PA was there with her wonderful bake goods. She also had some placemats, potholders, hotpads and beautiful wooden spoon angels. Always load up on her goodies. Got a darling sweatshirt for one of the DD's. Some garden flags. A first for me I didn't buy some type of jewelry there! Nor did I buy a totebag or purse.

Now to go do an hour of wrapping!

Happy Birthday Lola

Be sure to visit Lola on her blog ...AND SEW ON and wish her a happy birthday! She's giving out a couple presents to be drawn from those who leave comments! Happy birthday girl!!!

Halloween

A few pics taken on Halloween. The 2-1/2 year old is a butterfly...note the teacher put it on her backwards....I can't imagine two people dressing 14 or so children who are 2 year old in their costumes...so it's understandable....in the schools Halloween Parade. Teachers and staff dress up too! The wings are suppose to be on the back. The 1-1/2 year old is the pumpkin.

Note the peanut pumpkin DD got it for me at the College Run Farm's Pumpkin Patch. It looks like it is covered with peanut shells. Next to the 2-1/2 year old.

Six week old frowning while napping in her carrier. She's dressed in a fleece pumpkin p.j.'s.

1-1/2 playing ball with some cousins.

2-1/2 year old sampling some treats Auntie brought by for her.

The slowest Halloween in years last night. Really disappointing. The grandbabies came. As did one of their cousins. Then some children, about four, I didn't know all dressed up adorable with parents walking with them down the street. We have a curfew so it stops at eight. About ten after a group of five young-men friends with the grandsons came by so I let them LOAD UP...less to temp me. I always give out full size candy bars and usually have a lot of repeat customers from previous years. Some parents are bringing their children, who tricked or treated here when they were kids.

A lot of grouches out there this year...all the trick or treaters said along with DSIL who took his brother's children with his around last night said only three out of 12 -14 houses were participating on the streets in walking distance from where we live. I noticed it on our street. What irks me is a neighbor I love dearly....she always gave out candy when her grandchild was of age but now she turns her lights out and pretends not to be home. Two houses the widowed men living there are getting close to 90 or there already and VERY FEEBLE...don't expect them to but healthy active people come on now!!! I feel if my kids or grand kids ever participated or heck myself as a kid then it's payback time folks. One thing if it's busy and you run out then OK....but it's SLOW in this area as it is...One bag of candy will take care of it.

Now some asked for updates on Miss Daisy...she still has the UTI a year later. After two different medications one she couldn't take because of reaction she had to it. Apparently it's a chronic condition she has learned to live with the best she can. BUT it can cause kidney damage and her lab work is normal but low normal. So we are on a new to us medication. Bad news is it can cause blindness that isn't reversible. But it appears of on a lower dosage it doesn't happen. She's on the lowest dosage once a day for a month. Call in two weeks to talk to doctor. Take her back in a month for a repeat of the lab work.

I love craft shows. One of my favorites has always been Plantation Christmas at Chippokes Plantation in Surry. DH, DD, 3 DGDs and I went to it today. I have never been so disappointed. First time in my life I did not make a purchase...well I did have an apple dumpling to eat and bought some food for the others with me. In past years a lady from PA had been there with her gorgeous baskets. I always left with one or two huge ones. Another lady always there with items made from damaged quilts...pillows, dolls, etc. Always bought some pillows or Santas or Snowmen...she wasn't there. Only saw one snowman head with a carrot nose sticking way out that I thought about purchasing, didn't see a price tag but a candy corn looking pillow was rather over priced so I didn't bother to find out the price for the snowman's head. One both of some quilt throws and quilt totebags. I did love those but something I can make. DH said he thinks he'll take that show off our list of those we attend. Normally we go of Friday but because of the Parade we decided to go today. We actually thought more would be there today...not busy at all.

Well, the Richmond Christmas Show at the Showplace is next weekend and then the first of December is the MECCA Bizarre Bazaar. . . my favorite along with the Newport News Fall Festival. Also heard the people who used to do the William and Mary Christmas show are having one soon at a motel in Williamsburg...or someone doing one with a lot of those old vendors. That was a small show but wonderful items.