HB's Done

Happy to say I got all the HB's done I had cut out. there was 82 when I got them all finished. I was up and sewing by 7:00 this morning.

I started a pot of soup so I would have to get up and go stir it. The kitchen is at the other end of the house. So I would sew a set of borders and go stir the soup. That made me move around a little.

36 down and counting.

I got 36 of my HB's done this evening so now it's off the bed and reading my book. I hope to get most done tomorrow. Don has his family gathering on NY's day and he comes from a very large family. He has 11 brothers and sister . So when they all get together with their kids and grand kids and some great grand kids and their family's it's a lot of people. They have it at the Legion here in town. We all take food. So my NY's day will be busy.

First Happy Blocks finished

Here are my first HB's finishes. 9 with 71 left to do. I did get 12 heart blocks cut out also today for a trade that I an doing.
Now back to HB's!

Getting ready for New Years Eve!

I am in Heart Strings quilt group on yahoo. They make quilts for a cause. We are going to bring in the N.Y. by making kids Happy blocks. Happy blocks are blocks that have a 4" center and then 2" borders. I'll post some when I get them sewn. There are so many kids in need of a quilt for one reason or another. I spent part of my afternoon and evening looking for kids prints and fabric to go with them. I was surprised at how many I came up with. I have 80 Centers and strips for all of them cut. Now to get the sub cut done so I can start sewing on them I only meant to do 12 or so but it was easier just to cut a stripe off of the fabric or a fat Q.
Yes you know how I am going to spend my N.Y. !

2 rounds on the round robin.

I finished my 2 rounds on a round robin I am doing with 2 other quilters. This is people I meet in a group that I was in. We decided to do a RR with the 3 of us. We have a 2 month rotation. my work on this one was the corner flowers and the last row that's blue and gold. I will be putting it in the mail in the next day or so. One more of my have to do things done and before the New Year!! It's about 37" with my 2 rounds on it.
Now I have to cut some fabric for Happy Blocks in my Heart Strings group for kids. I will do that tomorrow while I am taking care of a lady. She naps a lot. I all ways take quiet work with me when I go take care of her.

Time to play!

Now that the making of Christmas gifts is over. I can go to other things. This is for a challenge in one of my yahoo groups.
The challenge was Beginnings and endings.
So as the old year is going and a new year is on the way I thought of this.
I took a sq. of navy blue felt and embroidered the old year and the new year. Then I rolled green and blue metallic paint on it with a roller.
I did the quilting with a variegated thread and finished the edge with blue metallic cord and the variegated thread.
I enjoy these little challenges they are 8" sq.
I haven't been in the mode to sew scents I finished with Christmas gifts. It seems I do that every year. I get a little burnt out.
So today I made my self do something. It's not the most memorable work I have ever done but a lest I did something!

Merry Christmas was had by all!

This is Don's GD Steph and 2 of her 3 kids Malachi and Ameris. I gave the 2 jars of dilled green beans. They love the things. Half of the 2 jars were gone before they left for the night. A real fuzzy photo of my DSIL Kevin with DGK's Josh and Kristin in the back ground.

Roy in the back Don's #1 Son and Evelyn his wife and Rodney Don's #2 son with his back to you.
Don is in the front bent over. Steph is Roy and Evelyn's DD.

My DD Jennie.

My sweet Sara

My DGS Brad. With his water bottle carrier.

This is DGS Josh with his face covered, DGD Kristin, And My DS Kelsey.

We had Oyster Stew and Chili for supper and lots of goodies. Josh liked the chili so much he took the rest home with him. That's one left over I don't eat. I am not much of a chili eater!

We didn't have much left over so everything must have been good.

It's fun to have them all together but I am glad it's over for one more year.

I need a rest!!

I only lost 2 gifts. they have vanished one for Jennie and one for Helena Kelsey's girlfriend.

I have looked all over for them. They will show up for the 4th of July!!! Or they will be safe for ever. I am all ways putting things up so I won't lose them and then can never find them!!

One of my gift baskets!

This is one of my gift baskets this year. I made hot pads. And mug rugs or casters with mugs filled with goodies. and other odds and ends. I think they turned out nice. This is a his and hers for Ruth and George at the Museum.
It's not nice out side . They are saying snow tonight. Will wait and see what the morning brings.

I think this is the last gift I need to make?

I made this for Don's # 3 great-grand-child a little boy of about 7 months. He is a beautiful baby.I hope this is it for gifts to make this year! But I may have missed someone so you never know!

I think I am all most done!

I want to thank you all for your comments and viewing my blog. I love to share what I am doing.
I made this for Don today His has had it! DGD Kristin made it for him for Christmas about 5 years ago. It has holes and is falling apart from the ware and tear he gives it. I had to dig for fabrics to put this together. I had a piece of what looked like hand dyed and a piece of batik for the back in lighter colors. I found a 1/4 yd. cut and a and a gold fat q. So I mixed and matched. Then I had to use something else for the binding. It's called making do! I think it will make he happy. You know the remote control is very importuned!
Still very cold and we are expecting snow. I can live with out the snow!
I think I am all most done making gifts. I have a baby Christmas gift to make yet. Then we will see! I am getting tired and want to do something else. Something for me!

Wrapping and packing!

WE still have very cold weather. it was o when I got up at 5:30 and it may get up a heat wave of 14. They say we are to get more snow. OH what fun!!! That's where I am at . I had to make 14 more mug rugs yesterday. My Christmas stash is shrinking. I didn't have much to start with.
These are for the 4 grand kids. I made them all a cat ornament to go with it and filled the cups with candy. Chocolates , and Hot chocolate. Tuck in the coaster and I have some plastic gift bags they will just fit it.

I am getting tired of hot pads!

Here's the last hot pads I have done. Maybe I have all I need now. I hope!! I have a Christmas party to go to this evening so no sewing tonight. It's time to start wrapping things. I start getting ready for Christmas Eve. (house cleaning) Something I have been letting go a little as of late!
Still very cold 0 is all the higher it is going to get. I hate the cold weather!!!

What a great surprise in the mail!!

I received this ornament in the mail from Gretchen in a trade for Fiber artist traders yahoo group. We just traded one ornament . I was so lucky to get this one. It is done on both sides. It is a work of art! It will go on my Christmas tree so everyone can see it. I finished more hot pads this morning and working on a binding for a quiltlet ( small quilt) for a gift. Then back to more hot pads. Everyone will have one before I am done.

It is so very cold here. -11 below today and it may get up to 0 if we are lucky. One good thing the sun is shining!!

Sunday morning

I finished these this morning. I had put them back and forgot them. I made 5 but have all ready wrapped one for a gift.

I am having to catch up on house work today. I got the kitchen cleaned and the laundry is running. We will have clean cloths for the week. I have been wrapping a few things. (my least favorite thing to do ) My Idea of wrapping is to through it into a bag.
I just started my embroidery on the machine. So I will have to stay close and watch it. Sometimes the thread will break.

It's still snowing and blowing.

Friday and Saturdays work

The wind howled all night and now it's trying to snow. They say it's going to get very cold tonight. Well below -0. I hate cold weather!!!
I embroidered all morning Friday and and got all the hot pads ready to sew and finish. I only had the morning to work. When I got home I did the deer he took over a hour to stitch out . He's the only one I think I am doing. He just takes to long. My DS Kelsey will get him. I love my embroidery machine.
I made the leaves for a hostess gift for a Christmas party Monday night. They will match her kitchen. They will all find a home by Christmas.

I have been making chair caddies for people that can not get around well . They spend a lot of time in their chairs. The blue is for my X-Mother in law and the other is for Edna a lady I take care of part time.

Now to regroup and see what else I need on my list.

I got lots done

I got a lot done today . Bindings that is. 9 hot pads. 2 chair caddy's and a quilt for Jennie.
I made one of the chair caddy's today.
My fingers are so tired. And so am I!! Photos tomorrow when I have had some rest. Good night all!!

More hot pads and a nice surprise!

I got these finished today and 6 more in various stages of completion.
The 2 on top are for my mother ( the yellow) and for my X-mother in law (the blue).
The 2 on the bottom are for my mother also. She said that's what she needed.

I got a very nice surprise in the mail today. I took part in a scavenger hunt and this is from Joan Mc G. Everything was so nice and it was so much fun opening everything!!

While I was sitting.

While I was sitting in the easy chair last night trying to recuperate from shopping. I worked on some bindings. I got 2 more kitty hot pads done. I think this pattern is very pleasing. This red and black small quilt is about 25" sq. it was a Round Robbin in my One Stitch At A Time yahoo group. I did the center block. The small Dresden plate. and 3 others did the other borders.
When we started this a friend of mine was going through a fight with cancer. So I planed this for her. Jane's favorite colors are red and black. I am happy to say she is Cancer free now. It took a lot longer to get it back from everyone than I thought so It's going to be a Christmas gift for Jane.

My feet hurt!!!

Jennie and I went shopping today for things we needed for Christmas. We had fun I think . My feet are so bad it's hard to shop for long . I spent a lot of time bench sitting. While Jennie shopped.
I did find some frames that worked for the embroidery I did for my sister Donna and friend Debby.I had the colored mats cut and the girl made the opening to big . But I found these frames and they worked with the mat fairly well.
I found when you go looking for frames there are lots of different kinds but never what you want.

The tree is up!

The tree is up. But I can't find the rest of the decorations for it. Don put them a way and we can't find them. Some of my ornaments are over 40 years old. I got them before my DD Jennie was born. Most have been hand made by friends and myself over the years. He didn't find them last year . I don't know what to think.
I did a swap last year of 3 1/2" unfinished Christmas blocks in on of my groups on yahoo and I finished them last year so I would have something on the tree.
This year I did some swaps and trades for about 20 more in 3 of my groups, so my new collation is growing.

Here is 2 of my 9 hot pads I have finished . I have given a blue one a way all ready and have 6 more in this bunch to finish binding.

The blue kittens are for my friend Elly how has to feed all the homeless cats in the town of Orchard. The red one I think is for my Mother.

I got a lot done today and made a B-day gift for DD Jennie this afternoon.

Oh Happy Day!

I finally got the last 4 WBC's done that I had started.
For three of my G-kids I had done a embroidery piece when I first got my machine. They picked out the design and it took me forever to get them done. Then we got to move back in the house and they were packed away. I found them while looking for other things. So I used them on their water bottles each one has their name on it. The blue one is for my sister, If she ever sends me her new address in KC. She moved in Oct.

Poor Teddy!

I rearranged the living room to put up the tree. Teddy doesn't know what to think of it. He used to sit on the back of the couch and watch out the window. Now there is this thing in the way and he is not a happy dog! He still sits on his couch but it's not the same. He just lays on the floor and looks at the tree. This is a quilt Jennie made for a gift and I put the binding on it for her. I think it's so cute and I think a 2 year old will love it.

I love the pink pok -a -dot flannel back.

This is a baby quilt I just finished for a baby gift. It was a fast job. I need to get it in the mail fast!

The mother likes brown so I made it with brown with pink flowers and pinwheels to match. I put the brown on the back and binding.

I got 2 more lime green WBC's done yesterday and hope to get 4 done today. Time will tell!

We had ice and snow last night. But the sun has finally came out so I hope it will melt off fast.

I won!!

Don and I went to the Indian Reservation to get his cigarettes. (A really bad thing).
So we went to the little casino there. I put $10.00 in a machine and was betting 40 cents at a time (big spender that I am) and I just kept hitting and when I cashed out I had $290.00
Don was not so lucky and wanted to leave. I may still have been there if he hadn't of wanted to come home. I was nice and gave Don $90.00 of it and told him Merry Christmas! I know he lost about $200.00. Win some lose some!

Little bookmarks

While I was embroidering things yesterday I did these little bookmarks to put on Christmas cards. I could get all 8 in one hooping. I put a novelty print with fairies on it on the back. Still working on things. I have the hand sewing left on the bindings of the 9 potholders, chair caddy, and a small wall hanging. I do bindings when I want to sit with my feet up in the recliner and watch TV. I haven't watched much TV lately, or when I want to be quiet when I am taking care of someone.
Sara has been feeling bad so we haven't got the tree up. She discovered my Hallmark card program and made Christmas cards for all the family.
We are going to have to take Sara home soon . She has Christmas caroling at church tonight at 6:00. I wish she wouldn't go but she doesn't want to miss it. So I gave her a new pair of earmuffs to keep the wind out of her ears.

Sewed all day !

I sewed all day!! From 7:30 AM to 9:30 PM . I am whipped!! Nothing to show for it yet. Everything is in stages of completion.
I worked on pot holders and some small bookmarks. I have them ready to put the corners on and the binding. That will wait until tomorrow! I have 6 more water BC's to finish I got my insul-bright in the mail today. It cost me $5.50 for P&H. But it was cheaper than if I had went to Norfolk to get it. I didn't want to go on a Sat. to many people!
Sara came to stay over today and we made jar labels for her Friendship Soup mix she is making for Christmas gifts. She said she needed 15 of them. I was wondering how many gifts does a 11 year old need to give?? But knowing Sara the list will grow. She is a very thoughtful child. She doesn't want to leave anyone out. Sara is such good company. We are going to do the living room and put up the Christmas tree tomorrow.

Thimbleberries Blocks found.

I found these 4 blocks and one other one in the same box of things that my Christmas quilt and my table runners came out of. What a nice surprise! I had all the blocks done for a large size quilt before I Left to go to Arizona and packed these in the box with the other stuff. The rest of the blocks were in another box that I had here in the house when we had the fire and were lost in it .
So I took 4 of the 5 I have left and made a throw with them. I got it to DD Jennie and she quilted it for me and I got it done the other day. I was so happy to have any of them saved from the fire.

Surprises in the mail!

As you can see I got 3 more water BC's done this morning. I only have 3 more cut out waiting on me. Then It's time to take count and see how I left to make for. I received my 1st card from the Christmas card exchange in one of my yahoo groups. Dorcas made this one and the 3 little gifties. A bookmark, gift tag, and coaster. What a nice surprise in the mail. She was so generous and dose such nice work. I love them.

One more done!!

The photo isn't the best but as you can see I am not a great photographer!

This is a chair caddy I made for Elly a Friend of mine. She is 80 something and has been having a bad time with her remote control for her TV. She keeps it on the arm of her chair it falls down into her chair and she keep sitting on it and messes it up . Then she can't get it fixed and has to call someone for help.

Her TV is very important to her, it's her company all day.

I made a pocket for the remote and on for her glasses and a big one for her crossword puzzles. It's folded in 1/2 the other side will tuck down into the seat of the chair.

I hope this will help with the problem of her remote mess ups.

More bookmarks and my $3.00 swap.

I have been trying all afternoon to get these done all I had to do was put the edge around them and the eyelets and tassels. I keep getting side tracked today. I did get a gift quilted and binding put on so I can do the finish hand binding.

The bookmarks are a extra when I make my Christmas ornament. I have room in the hope to one side and I don't want to wast fabric and stabilizer so I make the bookmarks for little gifties.
I think I will get one in the mail for DGD Kristin way at school. It's all ways nice to get a surprise.


I just love these little $3.00 Swaps!! This is what I received from Pat in on of mt groups. I love sewing fabric. and the little tea wallet and peppermint tea. It will be very handy in my bag.
I do like peppermint tea in the evening. It's very soothing. Pat if you see this Thank you for the nice swap.

Some thing for me!

Good Monday! I got 3 bindings done Sunday while I was at Edna's .
She napped all afternoon and evening. I also turned and closed 10 more mug rugs. Everyone in the world will have one this Christmas!!!
I love the lime greens and pastels they have out this year for Christmas.

I had a very nice surprise the other day. I found a Christmas quilt top that I put together from blocks traded with my Orchard quilt group over 6 years ago. I thought I had lost it in the fire. I was in a box of thing that I had stored at Jennie's quilt shop building when I went to Arizona for a time.
My block is in the upper right hand corner. I am going to take it to our Jan. meeting and get them to sign the back for me and put the name of their block on it. I am so glad to have this quilt as I lost the other one we all made in the fire.
I just love the reds and greens of Christmas!