Creative Year in Review

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

December

Just a few highlights, there are so many more I didn't show.

I'm very thankful that God gave me something to do with my hands 

that brings me so much joy and creative fulfillment.

Can't wait to see what 2012 will bring to my finger tips!

Thank you for your support, encouragement

and friendship on this journey!

Blessings,

Snippets

a new project

It's snowing here.  Christmas felt like spring but I knew it wouldn't last long.  We woke to snowcapped roofs yesterday.

a gift to myself

I'm struggling with getting back to normal.  I still have two Christmas gifts I'm working on.  You just can't rush handmade.  I'm glad I have people in my life who understand my need to create and don't mind waiting.

flowers from the local grocery

After all the Christmas cooking and baking, I have no desire to prepare a meal.  Today I'm trying a soup recipe that cooks all day in the crockpot.  No pressure there.

a special gift for a special friend

Time for some coffee and a plan, one that will motivate me to do something productive today.  What's on your agenda?

Hugs,

A Few of My Favorite Things

A cross stitch card from my Mom

I woke up yesterday morning to the sound of silence, how strange to have silence on Christmas morning.  The clock read 8:00 a.m.  Hmmm…better do a kid check.  Oh! 17 yr. old daughter asleep next to me.  21 yr. old son asleep in his room.  Is it Christmas morning?  I better go check my calendar.

A beautiful crochet scarf from Trish

The phone rings and my husband, who has just finished the night shift, wants to know what he's missed.  Not a thing, I tell him, you've got perfect timing!  And so I swiftly rouse two sleepy heads to remind them it's Christmas morning, pop our breakfast in the oven, and put the coffee on.

Vintage candle holders from Diane

We are soon floating in a sea of glitter (note to self: NO glitter wrapping paper next year) and I sit back and watch the three of them enjoy opening gifts, laughing and being silly.  At the same time I am reminded of how different our Christmas mornings looked just a few years ago.  This is not bad, of course, just different.

Vintage cookie jar from Diane

I spend the day watching my rather grown-up children interacting with their grandparents and Uncle and I'm reminded that change comes quietly, reminding me to enjoy every moment and to embrace the season of life that we find ourselves in.  Many blessings and much joy come when we learn to be content where we are with what we have.

"I know what it is to be in need,

and I know what it is to have plenty.

I have learned the secret of being content

in any and every situation,

whether well fed or hungry,

whether living in plenty or in want.

I can do everything through him

who gives me strength."

Philippians 4:12-13

Joyfully,

Sunday Scripture

"The people walking in darkness

have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of deep darkness

a light has dawned.

For to us a child is born,

to us a Son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And He will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:2&6

Merry Christmas!

Let It Snow

Ok friends, if you want to have some fun on facebook, put "Sleigh bells ring are you listening?" as your status and wait for your friends and family to finish the song.  It was so much fun.  More fun was reading what they thought the words were (perspire for conspire…).

Today I bring you the last quilt I made for this Christmas, "Let It Snow".  This quilt was made for my wonderful Mother-in-love.  I'm going to be making a runner for her as well with the scraps.  I love how Mary, my quilter/friend put the circles on it.  Each snowflake is outlined as well.

Making a quilt with batiks was totally out of my comfort zone, a far cry from the pastels that call my name on a regular basis.  This was fun, even though the scraps certainly look out of place in my scrap basket.

Hugs,

Comfort & Joy

Thank you for your kind response to yesterday's quilts.  Today I want to share with you the quilt I made for my sister-in-law and her husband.  I have named it "Comfort & Joy".

This quilt was offered by my local quilt shop as a block of the month.  We went to a monthly meeting and were shown new patterns and techniques and then could purchase each monthly block for $5.  At the end we had enough blocks to make a quilt and then purchased the rest of the materials to complete it.

Tomorrow I will show you the last of the quilts I made for Christmas.  Isn't the gate to the farm just charming?  It is such a welcome sight to drive up and see it decorated so beautifully for Christmas.  Have a wonderful day!

Smiles,

Our Last Installment of Sewing Christmas

Thank you for taking the "Sewing Christmas" journey with me.  Twelve months of sewing gifts have given me many gifts to share not just at Christmas, but over the course of this past year as well.  For the next three days I will be sharing quilts I made as presents this Christmas.

My family celebrated Christmas yesterday with my husbands side of the family.  I made these two quilts for my adorable nephews, Benjamin and Nathan.  The pattern is "One Star" from the book, "Make Room for Christmas Quilts" by Nancy J. Martin.

I took these pictures on Saturday, out at Friendship Farms, the outdoor wedding site that I work at.  It was very cold and snowing, a perfect time to snap these photos.  

Mary, my quilter and friend did an awesome job of quilting.  Each one is quilted differently and show-cased the pattern wonderfully!

These are my cutie-patootie nephews that I made the quilts for.  I told Benjamin (in the glasses) that when he is snuggled under his quilt on Christmas Eve, I want him to remember how much I love him.  For us quilters, the gift of a quilt is a true expression of our love.

Hugs,

Sunday Scripture

Source: smashingpicture.com via Natalie on Pinterest

"Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth."

Psalm 46:10

In His Peace,

Being Mary in a Martha World

My favorite Snowman wondering where is the snow?

I feel like I've been running a marathon since the Candlelight Dessert last week.  Not only am I playing catch up, I'm playing catch in the moment and catch forward.  Know what I mean?  This week I hosted my annual Bible Study Christmas Brunch, attended the annual Girlfriends Christmas Party and did way too much internet shopping because I don't have time to physically go to the store.

A bit of porch decorating

Today new windows are being installed in my house.  I have a wedding to go to tonight, three quilts to bind before Sunday, an empty refrigerator and my son is on his way home from college.  All these things are good in an of themselves (except for the empty refrigerator), it's just when it's all happening at the same time I start to feel like I'm standing in one spot twirling.

These two are torturing me to read them

I'm sorry for complaining.  I just knew that you would understand.  As Mom's, wives and friends, our plate is full and it is good, but I need to work on that balance thingy again.  Above all, I need to be thankful.  Thankful to the Lord for the gift of His one and only Son.  In a Martha world, I need to be more like Mary today (Luke 10:38).

Joyfully,

This & That

If you are in need of a quick Christmas gift to sew, this runner is the one for you!  It's made with half of one charm pack and a smidge of fabric for the border.  It comes together quickly and easily and looks much more complicated than it is.  The fabric is "Jovial" by Basic Grey.

I can see myself making this runner over and over again.  It's great to use with scraps.   I love that it's titled "Cinnamon Sticks".  So perfect for this time of year.

I had a little visitor perched on my tulip tree.  There are lots of squirrels in our neighborhood.  The black ones pop out against the snow.  This one appeared to be warming it's paws.  After 50 degree temps and rain, our snow is gone.  I'll enjoy it while I can because here in Michigan, there is more snow on the horizon!

Smiles,