SOME OF THE GOINGS ON IN OUR FAMILY THIS MONTH

Elizabeth turned eight on the the 19th. They did our side of the family party that Sunday evening. Aunt Becky gave her a spacer for her Pandora Charm Bracelet.

Aunt Robyn gave her a caddy for her dresser with a styling brush, some lip gloss, and other girly stuff.

She loves Chocolate and one of the things Great-grandparents gave her was a huge bag of Hershey Kisses.

And she got some jewelry.

We gave her a Vera Bradley handbag.

I made it 'til Christmas Morning

I did it. I waited until Christmas morning to open my Stocking from my Secret Santa from Scrappy Quilts. You did GOOD Carol! Book of hand sewing needles, a snowman towel, spool of white thread, half-yard of a really nice tan fabric and two fat quarters--one a luxurious lavender and one a wonderful shade of aqua. I love everything in it! Plus the beautiful stocking which I'll be hanging every Christmas! Thanks so much Carol!!

Christmas Tree

Going to show you my Christmas tree but first my crock I painted some years ago of Santa's Around the World...a class by Jane Dillon My Christmas Tree. It's lit even though you can't tell it in this picture.

Some of the ornaments...this was added by the almost three year old this year...a rattle that belonged to her mother. She thought it should be an ornament for the tree so Papa put a hook on it and she hung it on the tree.

Though it looks small it's actually large red ball with what looks like icing dripping all around it. I got it a few years ago from Tuesday's Mornings.
Not too clear but it's Poplar Grove Mill from back home. A mill on property of an ancestral home lost in a card game. Grain was ground here for General George Washington during the Revolution. The house and mill are still standing.
A shell with diamond dust on it. One of several my cousin's wife did for me.
A Westie ornament in memory of our Westie who was named Mopsie who we had for 16 years...never did know how old he was as he was found on interstate by a co-worker of a son of a co-worker of mine at the time. No one claimed him and he ended up with us for 16 wonderful years.
An oyster shell my cousin's wife did. This one is from the Oyster House that my great-grandfather and grandfather owned.

One I bought at McDonald's Nursery the first Christmas I was in this house...1977.

This is a butterfly the 28 year old daughter made in pre-school from wrapping paper and a clothespin.

Another oyster shell

A Christmas tree made from yo-yos and buttons.

Back in the day I made a bunch of Christmas Balls starting Christmas 1965 when I was in the eighth grade. I did about 12-18 or so from the satin covered balls...pink with gold braid with pearls and some upholstery trim.

This one of an angel holding a lab...in memory of our lab Beau who died on Dec. 23, 2000. Daughter gave it to us and on back wrote a note how though he wasn't here with us he was watching over us...

A glass blown ornament I got at Pork, Pine and Peanut Festival one year. Not sure if I got the order straight in the name.

Another one I made back in 65-68. This one is aqua with pink sequins and gold with pink braid and pearls pinned on it.

A red one of gold braids and pearls.

I also did a bunch of felt ones with sequins one of several of Rudolph and other of Santa's reindeer poking out of his sack.

One my mom gave me made from a crab shell with New Point Lighthouse painted on it. It's a light house where the Chesapeake and Mobjack Bays meet in Mathews County. Built in early 1800's money appropriated for it by President Thomas Jefferson. Several ancestors and other family members were keeper of this light.

Mr. and Mrs. Santa I made with felt and sequins. Somewhere on my tree are Mr. and Mrs. Snowman I also did.

And another felt one I did a round ornament.

Another satin one with plastic punch in beads, braids, faux gems.

A paper on I received as a child back in the 50's that my great-aunt brought me from New York City. After she moved back home after living there for many years she would return several times a year to shop and visit old friends.

A plastic sleigh I bought and I painted the patriotic Santa bear on it.

The round one my great-aunt brought me from New York.

Another white satin on with red and green plastic do-dads, white pears both round and enlongated and gold trim I made back in the 60's.

A drummer boy I made back in the 60's in Home Economics from a clothespin. I did about six or eight of these.

A snowflake I machined embroidered. I did a bunch of these a couple years ago.

One my Mom's best friend Mary Jane made for me one year from clear beads strung together and some gold braid.

When I was a girl, we always went to Miller & Rhoads in Richmond to see the Real Santa...he called you to come to him by your name, knew all about you, slid down the chimney, heard his reindeer on the roof prancing and bells jingling. After he slid down and greeted the long line waiting to see him he introduced his beautiful snow queen in her long white evening gown and crown who you talked to before going to see him. He would sit on his throne like chair, take his Santa Hat off and comb his hair and beard and tell his reflection in his hand mirror how nice he looked. After seeing Santa we always went to the Fawn Shop where you had to be under twelve to shop for gifts for your family. And then to the Christmas Shop to buy a special ornament. This is one of the few that have survived. The first one I got was broken by our former white cat Liberty who disappeared on Dec. 16th a few years ago.

And again the tree with the decorations, candy canes, and clear plastic icicles.

Grandkids and Santa

HURRAH...a picture has finally been made which contains Laura and Rachel with Santa Claus for the Christmas 2008 season.

Laura has melted down if she caught a glimpse of the jolly ole fellow from afar. Rachel would see Laura have a spell and then she'd start crying. Emily has had her picture taken twice with him previously this season.

This was taken when the three girls took the seven grandkids to have their annual Christmas picture taken to give us the grandparents and my in-laws as part of our Christmas present. They didn't know Santa would be there at the time. Laura and Rachel had time to warm up to the Jolly Fellow somewhat. So they had this taken besides the one of just the grandkids.

As you can see Laura is not overly happy but she's in the arms of her hero cousin Jake standing behind Santa. And Rachel is in the arms of her hero cousin Justin to one side of Santa. Rachel appears happier than Laura. Emily is thrilled to be held by Santa. Victoria is behind Justin and Rachel and Elizabeth is to the other side of Santa.

Word has it by the time they left they said Rachel was hugging and high-fiving Santa.

May not be the Real Santa in Richmond who used to reside at Miller and Rhoads Department Store and now at the Children's Museum but hey this is our family's little Christmas Miracle this year Laura and Rachel actually in a picture with Santa!

Been A While

Been a while...busy wrapping, baking and such. Still a few things to get out and purchase this week. I've baked a Devil's Food cake which as been consumed. So have a second one cooling now. I GOOFED...for some dumb reason I was thinking one stick equals 1/4 cup...not 1/2 cup. So I put in two sticks butter. Realized it as I was about to pure into pans. So I doubled the rest of the ingredients. Was going to bake it as two cakes but batter looked too thin in four pans so ended up with two pans. Of course took longer to bake but looks pretty. We'll see how the inside turned out later.

Have two Black Walnut Cake's in the Freezer and one Pound Cake. Both old family recipes from 1800's. Want to make another Black Walnut and Pound Cake. Also want to do a Six Layer Red Velvet I've done for several years that was in Southern Living for two years in December issue.

I've made two batches of Fudge. Actually double batches and all consumed. Must make a lot more fudge.

Yesterday I did double batch of Toll House Cookies...they always turn out fine BUT NOT this time. Most the bottoms are shall I say crispy. Sounds better than burnt to a crisp.

I made a new bar cookie this morning I saw in Paula Deen's Christmas magazine. Two rolls of Chocolate Chip cookie dough spread in pan, bake, melt caramel chips, pour over the cooked cookie dough, then sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and Toffee chips. I added more chocolate and Toffee chips. But taste pretty yummy.

Not sure what else I'm going to bake. I guess more Chocolate Chip cookies and hope they turn out better. Need to get some Oreo's to make Oreo balls. Maybe some Reese Balls...I used to make them every year and also Chocolate Butter Cream Squares and Lemon Bars. Also sugar cookies, ginger cookies and molasses spice cookies.

Next weekend will be a big baking weekend. Better go ice that cake...I'm sure it won't be here but a few days...hubby's favorite...also daughter's family eating here in a while. Roast is in oven for our supper. Need to do potatoes. No homemade rolls today...sorry store bought. Grandbaby girls will be here in a few while parents go run some errands for Santa we'll eat when they get back.

Happy Birthday

Today would have been my Daddy's 90th birthday. He died from cancer a couple months before what would have been his 64th birthday. Hard to believe he's been gone so long.

These Dutch Wooden Shoes he sent my first cousin, Betty, from Holland while he was overseas during WWII. Her daughter sent them to me last week. She's been so wonderful to me...her mom before she died a few years ago also at age of 63, left her a letter or letters of various things she wanted her to do after her death. One of the things she requested were various items she wanted me to have that had either been my Dad's or he had sent her or her parents...letters he wrote home from Europe and Africa during WWII, pictures, foreign coins, etc. Over the past few years she has sent me the various items as she has discovered them. I can't begin to explain how much these things mean to me...Tricia!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

What Kind of Pajamas Are You?

You Are A Nightgown

You are a bit old fashioned and elegant. You aren't very casual. You are well mannered and modest. You don't make a fool of yourself. You tend to be a bit reserved, and it's hard for strangers to get to know you. You are likely to not let anyone outside your bedroom see you in your pajamas.

What Kind of Pajamas Are You?

Christmas Ornament Swap Party

Today I attended my first Christmas Ornament Swap Party at my DSD's house. I took this ornament which I bought for it at Bizarre Bazaar last Thursday in Richmond...

It was a big hit with the ladies there. Most of them are are huge beach lovers and spend a week or two at Nags Head, NC each summer. They all like cutesy ornaments too. You could either take an ornament from someone else who had opened or open a new package. The third time an ornament was taken including the time it was originally unwrapped it was then 'dead' and no one else could take it away.

This is the ornament I unwrapped and got to keep it. It was purchased from the same booth where I purchased the one I took. I think it's really cute. A couple ladies want me to make some like the one I bought and took and the one I received and sell them to them. I may try to make a few and give them to those ladies.


I got a cute snowman pencil jar yesterday at the Church Bazaar. and Cookie Walk. I'll post a picture of that later. I bought some of the cutest cookies there. My favorite was reindeer cookie and I didn't have sense enough to take a picture of it....a ginger/spice cookie cut out with large acorn shaped cookie cutter. Then small pretzels for the antler the loopy ones. Then red cinnamon dot candy for nose. Forget what they used for the mouth. Anyway it was really cute and the cookie was delish too. So often the cute/pretty cookies aren't' that yummy but these were both.

Christmas Shopping and A Toddler Girl Sewing Idea

Well, I didn't go to the mall but this could have been me yesterday---we (DD & DH) went to Richmond to Bizarre Bazaar. Saw another of our DD there and a group of her friends. Saw our dentist's receptionist. One of the mecca of craft shows. Not really a lot of ' homemade crafts' I'm sure most items were most likely "Made in China" but tons of everything imaginable.
There were some adorable toddler/children clothes and baby items handmade by the ladies selling them. Lots of "IDEAS". We left around one by then it was SO CROWDED you just stood still and were carried along with the crowd...TIME TO LEAVE!!!

One DD bought was darling dress which was made from a long sleeve t-shirt for the bodice and various strips of fabrics sewn together vertically for the skirt part of the dress. Then the hem was trimmed in ball fringe.

I bought a few Christmas Presents. A cute Christmas tree shaped dish with a matching spreader--not sure if this is for D-S-I-L's parents or DH's aunt. A darling picture frame which was shaped and painted like Santa with the chest/belly area for the picture--not sure who is getting the frame. A cute pewter looking metal square container with a dragonfly on the rim, a package of Christmas napkins inside the container and a napkin weight shaped like a dragonfly--for a DD. They were all at the same booth.

I bought a few clear plastic insulated 'glasses' which has an machine embroidery design in them. One for me, one for one of my girlfriends, one for DH and an extra to have on hand for something extra to give someone. Mine is a frog but he looks likes he's a patchwork quilt. Friend loves horses, lived in hunt country for a while and hers is a Fox hunter on horseback, DH a HUGE baseball fan and a former great pitcher in high school, actually drafted while in high school but didn't go went to college instead--his is a baseball glove and baseball. The extra is a couple of palm trees on a sandbar. Several people I could think of would like that.

Sunday I'm invited to a Christmas Ornament Exchange Party. Most of those invited are 'beach lovers' spend vacations at OBX---Nags Head, NC, so I got this fairly large starfish, painted white, with a bikini painted on it and face. The bra top is two little shells and looks something like a coconut bra top. She also had a Santa hat on and holding a string of lights.

I bought myself a couple nice spatulas and 9" cake pans. OH and I bought myself a pewter Christmas Ornament of where I went to college. It's of the Main Hall Building. First time I've ever seen a Christmas Ornament around here for there.

Got to see a friend from back home who is a rather famous wildlife artist. Jane Partin is well known for her Labrador retrievers. Has done ducks for Ducks Unlimited, etc. Neither of us live 'back home' since we graduated from high school. She has a booth set up there. Jane is the one who showed me the spatula she had bought there so I had to go check out that booth.

Ok Girls, A New Place To Shop!!!

OK OK, I know I go weeks without posting and here today lo and behold I have posted THREE times today.....but I was just visiting ...And Sew On and I see she is almost ready to open her shop. Be sure to stop by and see the new web-store that Lola of ...And Sew On is opening soon named Cedar Cottage Shoppe. It sounds like it is going to be great...some vintage china, fabric, etc. Hope she doesn't mind me telling about it...

Holy Grail of Sewing Machines

Last night I went to a Showing and Demo of the new Bernina 830 Sewing Machine with Embroidery Unit. What can I say this machine is the Holy Grail of Sewing Machines. Maybe one day...This Dec. 6th they are having an awesome deal 40 months no interest on Bernina Card for items over $4000. REGARDLESS to much for my finances at the present time with the economy the way it is now...and health insurance skyrocketing...have to get my own now that DH is retired...he's on medicare and supplemental but nine plus years away for me...

I fell in love with Bernina machines back in 1982 when it was the machine that I picked out when DH wanted to get me my dream machine for Christmas as I had lost my Daddy that fall at a much too young age. He sprung for the then top of the line Bernina 930. I fell in love with the five step buttonhole and the WONDERFUL THREAD TENSION which Bernina is so famous for perfecting. I still have that machine and still LOVE it dearly. Then in 2000 I got a new then top of the line Bernina 180E and I love that machine just as much. I bought that with money my grandmother left me when she died. If I should ever be able to get the new 830 I'd give my DD my 180E. Maybe by then they'll be out with a new 930... The 830 was a machine they sold over a million of that one model and was top of the line for a long time. This new 830 was name in honor of the original 830 model. The 930 that I have replaced the old 830...Well, Bernina if you come out with new 930 to honor the workhorse 930 I KNOW come Hell or High-Water I'd find some way to own it...AND to be honest......I sat that in total amazement at the new 830 but I thought of some ways to tweak it if you are to do a 930...I know once a new machine comes out you are working on the next more outstanding future machine.

Scrappy Crumb Quilting

A while back I mentioned I was working on my variation of a Scrappy Crumb Quilt andthats I want to do some doll size ones for the three youngest granddaughters and a large one for myself. Several asked me what is a Crumb Quilt and how do you do it. I also promised to post some pictures of what I had done so far.

I started with scraps left over from cutting scraps for Bonnie Hunter's Scrap method and for the Scrap Therapy method. I had stuffed a shopping bag with them. I sat down with some strips of fabrics various widths from one inch to a couple inches wide. Length didn't matter. I put the strip under the presser foot right side up and sew with 1/4" seam though that really doesn't have to be accurate and grab a scrap from the bag put it on top of the strip with right sides together. and sew. When I get the first scrap sewn down I picked up the next scrap and sew it to the strip. Sometimes I just sewed scrap to scrap. Both ways it's just keep a chain going from strip to the next strip or scrap to scrap.

The top row of this picture shows a strip with the various scraps sewn to it. You'll notice the scraps are all odd shapes for the most part. You cut the strip apart between the scraps and with scissors or rotary cutter whack them apart. I just eyeball doing that...doesn't have to be all that straight. Even up the four sides some. Then take those pieces and sew to another strip or another piece of fabric or pieces sewn together. The next row in this picture shows where some of those sewn together were sewn to another strip.

Here are some small pieces. First one shows a green pink scrap from Lilly P. fabric (from when I was in college and my aunt sent me fabric from Florida to make my version of a Lilly P. look alike) sewn to a larger nautical scrap from my almost 15 year old grandson's little rompers I made for him. Ont the far right one you'll see a blue scrap sewn to a pumpkin scrap sewn to another blue scrap sewn to a pink plaid blouse I cut up.

Here are some of the units sewn together. In the upper left corner of the far right unit you'll notice the selvage showing int the blue piece next to the black with pink flowers print.

A couple of the units sewn together making some small rectangles or blocks.

Here are some small units. The ant fabric in the middle is sewn to a blue print wit selvage showing. The piece to the left you'll see a stripe sewn to a giraffe print which on the side is a blue odd shaped piece sewn together to even up that side.

Some more units the one on the left upper are two different green prints sewn together and that sewn to a stripe and then to another strip. Basically the same thing but much tinier pieces below that one.

As you have noticed there is no rhyme or reason to the method I used in sewing the scraps together.

Here are two larger blocks I ended up with making. Just kept adding units to units or to strips and before long....

And another one. These two will most likely end up being sewn to more and being a doll quilt.

OR I may take a square ruler and lay it down just any ole way and rotary cut around it to have a wacky-wonky block and sew to a solid color strip to join the same size blocks together. On this bottom picture you can see where I sewed a unit (daisy on purple to a bubble looking one with selvage showing which was sewn to a dark paisley to a blue gingham) to another unit about the same size ( blue gingham with two tiny scraps to a butterfly print and navy gingham) Those two units were sewn to some more units about the same length or width and then to some strips.