The Love of the Puzzle and Dogs in Central Park

Hi Blog Friends,

Just a quick extra post this week.  All about jigsaw puzzles and dogs in New York's Central Park. 

I love jigsaw puzzles.  So did my dad.  The jigsaw puzzle has a long history in my family.  Each year when I was growing up, my dad would set up the card table in the living room, and we'd put a puzzle together.  Some of the fondest childhood memories are of those times.  A number of years ago, I resurrected this holiday tradition with my own family.  It turns out that the love of the jigsaw has passed from my dad, through me, to my three girls.  We do a jigsaw puzzle every year at Christmas (and, on the original card table, I might add). 

Except for this past Christmas in 2014.  Circumstances and logistics got in the way of our annual tradition.  So, in early January, I was needing my puzzle fix, found this puzzle and fell in love with it. 

Here's the particulars:
Name " Baby It's Cold Outside"
Made by New York Puzzle Company, 1000 pieces
Featured on cover of New Yorker Magazine Feb. 8, 2010
Frame by Denis

It was fun, and I love it!  I am thinking of getting more of these covers and changing them out as part of my seasonal display.

Till next time....

Life and New Pages

Hello Blog Friends,

I'm sad to report that Winter Woolies II is still in process.  Life, as we all know, has a way of sometimes getting in the way.  We seemed to have a busy week, but somehow did not get as much accomplished as we would have liked.  So, check in with me next week to see the finish of Winter Woolies II.

I did not sit idle the entire week, however.  Thursday night was scrapping group and we made some pretty cool pages.  As you know, my daughter Kristy is a Close to My Heart consultant, and she hold a group class once a month.  We make (3) 2-page layouts which are photo ready by evening's end.  This month we used the Hopscotch paper packet and coordinating accessories.  The sunburst elements were all cut with the Cricut machine in varying sizes.  These pages can be used for spring, or summer vacation pictures.  One of the members of our group is going to use them for photos from her winter vacation in Mexico.  Another is going to southern California this summer; these pages will be perfect for that!

Fun pages!  See you next week! 
 

Winter Woolies

Hello Blog Friends,

This week's post is all about flannel.  I love flannel.  I especially love the Woolies line by Maywood.  These are the flannel prints that look like wools, in herringbone, tweed, basketweave, dots, and plaid patterns. 

I was recently into Going to Pieces Quilt Shop in Appleton, WI.  They had a 5th anniversary celebration in January, and I was able to pick up a jelly roll and a layer cake of the Maywood Woolies flannel line.  I made two quilts from these precut packages:  a jelly roll race quilt and a disappearing nine patch.  Both quilt tops were finished in January, but just now getting close to finishing, just as spring is around the corner.  Not to worry, tho...they will be ready for curling up in next winter.  The jelly roll quilt will be the "car quilt", using in travelling on those frigid winter days.  The nine patch will be for our own use, for cuddling in on cold winter days and nights. 

Here is the jelly roll version of Winter Woolies.  I quilted it in a large all-over meander pattern. 

I'm busy working on the nine patch and hope to have it ready to show you in next week's post.

Til then...

I have returned! At last....

Hello Blog Friends!

Yes, it has been a very long time since I've posted on this blog!  As we all know, life has a way of intervening and sending the best laid of plans totally awry.  Between then and now, we went on vacation, suffered a major setback, the concrete business was crazy, I took on a new part time job, finished three quilts, 2 scrapping projects, and a quirky mosaic, attended two family golden birthday parties, and attended two scrapping retreats.

Shortly after my last post (way back in August of last year), Denis, my mom Fran, and I set out on a road trip to Colorado.  Our destination was Grand Junction, on the western slope.  Mom had lived there for many years, and went back to visit friends.  We planned to drop her with friends, then explore the mountains between GJ and Colorado Springs, spend a few days, and explore on our way back to GJ to pick her up.  Just 15 minutes after she arrived at her friends' home, she fell and broke her hip.  Her entire stay in GJ from then on was spent in St Mary's hospital in GJ (a fantastic facility!). 

We spent 10 lovely days in GJ, getting to know the area very well.  We tried to do at least one thing a day outside the hospital, just to salvage both our sanity and what we could of our vacation.  Mom spent one week in the hospital and two weeks at in-hospital therapy.  Three weeks after she fell, she left the hospital under her own power and flew home.  She stayed for a week with us, and finally was back in her own home exactly one month after she left.  It was a hell of a September!

I was away from my job for two weeks, and was jammed with work until the 1st of November.  It took me six weeks to catch up.  I worked a lot of extra hours, and also picked up a new part-time job...as bookkeeper for our church.  Before I could take over, however, I had to do a two year audit.  The records were in such a deplorable state, but after a month's time and 60+ hours of work evenings and weekends, I got them straightened out.  I made some changes, streamlined the process, and the books have balanced ever since.

I finished three quilts...Snack Attack was given to grandson Conner for Christmas 2014.  He is 12.  Patterns was given to daughter Kerri, who had to wait 31 years for her golden birthday on January 31, 2015.  Grandson Corey also received a quilt (named M&M Good) for his golden birthday this year...he was 10 on February 10th.

Snack Attack

 

Kerri (on right) and friend with Patterns

 

M&M Good

I finished two memory books for Christmas 2014.  Grandson Conner was victorious for the 3rd year in a row at the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby last February.  I've made him a book commemorating the achievement each year.  Here he is with the 2014 installment.

 

I made Mom a book highlighting all that we did together in 2014...a barn quilt trip, quilt shop hopping, the rodeo, Hamburgerfest, and the trip to Colorado.  Here she is with her book.  She is 100% recovered from her hip mishap.  Or, should I say "mis-hip"?  LOL

Finally, Denis' brother Gordon was not forthcoming with Christmas gift ideas, except for $$ for a fishing license.  In my opinion, money is a gift for birthdays, not Christmas.  He was insistent, however.  So, I thought that if that is all he can come up with, then he will have to work for it.  Out came the scrapping materials and our coin jar, and voila, the coin fish mosaic was created.  It was 12" x 18").  It was a great hit at Christmas, but instead of working at taking all the coins off (and the glue dots holding them on), he wants to hang it on the wall.  Really??

So, that has been my life since August.  September was spend dealing with a broken hip, October was filled up with accounting work, both at the concrete plant and at home, and November and December was spent rushing to finish Christmas gifts.

I've taken it a little easier so far in 2015, but I have actually been sewing for me!  I'll show you that next week.  I'll be posting every week on Sundays.  Thanks for visiting!