January 2020 Project List Is Complete!

Greeting Blog Friends,

I've been busy at the sewing machine this past week and have several projects  to report on:

Baby Quilt.  Top is done and ready for quilting/binding.  I am under a tight deadline on this project, baby shower is on Feb. 8.  This quilt will be personalized with the baby's name, so I can only show it to you this far, so not to spoil the surprise!  The quilt is made from flannels, most from my stash.  

Hearth Rug.  This one is for my oldest daughter, Kristy.  She just moved into a new place.  It has a wood burning fireplace (which she doesn't plan to use) with a stained hearth (just like mine).  I told her I had an easy fix for that...cover it up.  I used a jelly roll from the Boundless (Crafttsy) Sonnet Bleu line.  Here's her rug:

Wool table Mat.  These cute blue mittens fit perfectly into my winter/snow decor.   Penguin likes it!

I've done a good job (100%) on my January project list.    Next week, I'll share what February has in store for me.  Till then...

Oregon Trip Mini Scrapbook, Take Two

Greetings Blog Friends,

As I hinted to you last post, I have been busy working on a small scale scrapbooking project, meant for a birthday gift for my oldest daughter Kristy.  Her birthday was the 14th, so I needed to spend some long days in the craft room, printing pictures and making pages.  I finished it on the 13th, one day to spare, although we didn't get together for her birthday until the 15th.  

The base book is a Close To My Heart product, with printed pages with varying sayings, motifs, etc.  The color palette for these pages was somewhat limited...to gray, blue, aqua green, and a very neon yellow!  I used some of the pages as is and altered many.  I hit the paper stash for inspiration and found some great papers that worked perfectly.  Here is a sample of the raw, unfinished pages: 

The subject matter for this book is our trip together to Portland, Oregon for a week in October, 2018.  She went for a work conference, and I went to keep her company in the evenings.  We managed to do quite a bit and fill up the book!  We drove around Portland, spent time in the park (along the river) just across from our downtown hotel, drove along the Columbia River Gorge, did some wine tasting, visited Mt. Hood, browsed in Powell's huge bookstore, saw a Broadway musical, and ate some good food.  I made my keepsake book (another small scale book) last March at our scrapping retreat in Crivitz.  

Here are some of my favorite pages:

Back to sewing now...more on that next post.  Till then... 

January 2020 Queue

Greetings Blog Friends,

Happy first Sunday in January!  I've been working around the house the week or so, doing some end of year filing, getting a new accounting system set up for my church work, but mostly relaxing after the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.  But now, my friends, it's time to get back to work!

Here's my tentative January 2020 queue:
1.  Birthday gift scrapbooking project.  Finished!!  More on this next post.
2.  Hearth rug for daughter Kristy's new apartment.
3.  Baby quilt for daughter Kerri's friend.
4.  Winter wool candle mat.

That's a decent start to the year.  I'll report my progress during the month!  Till next time...

More Christmas Gift Recap

Greetings Blog Friends,

Just when you just about had enough of seeing my blog posts in your mailbox, here I am again!  Aren't you lucky??

I have a couple more Christmas finishes to share with you.

This one is a felt stocking that I made for Denis' niece Heather.  I've had this stocking kit from Bucilla (top of the line in felt kits!) for a number of months, and worked on it this fall.  These are totally all hand sewn with care and with love.  My favorite time to stitch at night is during Sunday Night, Monday Night and Thursday Night Football games. This one is called "Ornamental Reindeer" and is 18" long.

I have made many of these felt stockings for family and friends.  You'd think I'd be done by now, but NO!  I have collected a series of religious themed stockings (Nativity, Wise Men, Angels, Noah's Ark) and a series of Santas (Arctic Santa, Nordic Santa, Winter Santa, Woodland Santa and Santa on the Beach).  I already hang a Patriotic Santa as part of my summer decor.  The only question is, which series to make first?  Maybe I'll do some of each.  Either way, these are going to be for my decorative use, and will be passed on to my heirs when my time comes.  These, along with the quilts and scrapbooks that I have made, will be my legacy to my family.  For now, however, I'm going to keep my mind and fingers busy during the year and get started on my stocking stash.  You'll be seeing more of these during the year as they are finished.  

The second finish is a set of 3 pillows I made for my girls.  I originally bought 3 t-shirts with these cute sayings on them, but the shirts came in very small!  Instead of sending them back, however, I made 18" pillows out of them!  This way, they will enjoy both the pillow and the memory of the day more often.

Kristy is the oldest sister and hers says "I'm the Oldest Sister.  I make the rules."

Kim is the middle sister and hers says "I'm the Middle Sister.  I'm the reason we have rules."

Kerri is the youngest sister and hers says "I'm the Youngest Sister.  Rules don't apply to me."  

I made each pillow with the same fabric, wrapped each with the same paper and put them all in the same box.  Such fun!!

These three are the lights of my life.  

On this happy and nostalgic note, I bid you au revoir until next time...

2020 New Year's Resolutions

Greetings Blog Friends,

As we start a new decade, I have decided to start it out with not one, but two Resolutions for 2020:

The first one is to continue to sew/scrap down the stash of fabric and paper that I have.  I already have projects lined up in the queue (yes...there is my favorite word...AGAIN!!).  

The second Resolution is something much more personal and involves the pursuit and attainment of the elusive thing called "Happiness".   Yes, friends, it can be found, but requires a great deal of soul searching and personal change and growth.  Read on...

I recently came across a book to help me on my journey.  "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz.  Have you heard of it?  It is not a large book and not hard to read or understand.  In it, Ruiz discusses the ancient Toltec wisdom and way of living.  The Toltec were people who lived in central Mexico thousand of years ago.  They were "scientists and artists who formed a society to explore and conserve the spiritual knowledge and practices of the ancient ones."  The book explores these practices and interjects an emphasis also on the spiritual masters that are worshipped on earth.  It is not a "bible", per se, but a guidebook to help you on the journey to a happier life.  It is up to each individual to take from it what pertains to them.  As with all books, each person's perception of the concepts will be different from others.

The Four Agreements discussed in the book are agreements between you and yourself:
1.  Be Impeccable with your Word.  Kindness and compassion to others is very important!  
2.  Don't take Anything Personally.  This is an area that I have struggled with.  I tend to take things personally, and when I do, I take other people's negativity (both real and imaginary) into my own life, causing me great unhappiness.  I am trying now not to do that, and have found the power of forgiveness to be a great help.
3.  Don't make Assumptions.  Another area I struggle with.  This one is closely tied to Agreement 2, and for me, sometimes they go hand-in-hand.
4.  Always do your Best.  Live life to the fullest, live up to these agreements with yourself and be strong in your commitment.  Find the happiness that is your inherent right.

In learning how to live up to these agreements, I hope to right some wrongs I have done and to understand and deepen my own personal faith in God.  

I'll check back with you from time to time and let you know how I'm doing.  I'm just beginning my journey with this new philosophy of life.  I'm sure I will stumble and falter.  If I do, I will begin again and rise above.  

Thank you for letting me share.  

😊Now on to that First Resolution...a Birthday Gift is first in the 2020 Stash Busting Queue (oh...there is that wonderful word again!)  Till next time....


   

2019 Family Colorado Trip Scrapbook

Greeting Blog Friends,

Our family trip to Colorado this past summer was such a wonderful experience for all.  Although we exchanged photos (digital versions), I felt a real, tangible scrapbook you can hold, touch and look at was in order.  So, I made not one, but three and these were gifted to each of the girls at Christmas.

I used a small scale "crush" book from Close to My Heart.  It comes with preprinted 7" x 10" pages in a variety of colors, patterns, sayings.  The pages are not in chronological order because I tried to fit the subject matter of the photos to the printed pages.  I think the resulting pages turned out great!  Included on the pages are photos, cardstock and patterned papers from my scrapbooking stash (many were scraps and leftovers from other projects), pamphlets, stickers, cricut cutouts and stamped images.  I concentrated on the many group photos we took, and added a few others on each layout.  Most layouts were two pages.  These three books took me about a month to complete, working on them in between the sewing projects.  Here are some of my favorite pages, although I liked them all:

Next up:  the 2019 Stash Busting Report and a look ahead to 2020.  Till then...

Flannel Quilts for Christmas

Greetings Blog Friends,

I'm happy to say that I finished 6 of 7 quilts for Christmas this year...5 flannel quilts and Home Is Where the Dog Is (see previous post).  The 7th and final quilt top is still hanging, waiting to be finished, which is what I will do in the next few days.  The last quilt is meant for me, and although Christmas is over now, it will be like new to me when I get it out 11 months from now for Christmas 2020!

Here is the 2019 Flannel Quilt Class (and their recipients):

Christmas Street went to my daughter Kimberly and her family:

(and photo-bombed by big sis Kristy!!)

Christmas Fun went to my daughter Kristy and her family:

Vintage Christmas II went to my daughter Kerri and her husband Doug:

Winter Wonderland went to Denis' brother Gordon and his family:

Christmas Memories stayed with me, and currently resides on my quilt rack on the fireplace hearth.

I had a great time sewing for Christmas this year.  Time to start thinking about next year's hand made gifts!

Next post...a Priceless gift x 3!   Till then...