Sunday Scripture

Joyfully,

Mini Swoon Quilt

I spent the day working on my Mini Swoon quilt for the Doll Quilt Swap I'm participating in.  I hope my partner likes it.  If not, I won't have any problem keeping this one.  Time for some hand quilting! Blessings...

Love,

Such Sweetness

I just finished getting the sashing on this quilt.  I've had so much fun sewing along with Donna.  I love the colors and prints in this quilt and the pictures really don't do it justice because the colors are so much prettier in person.  I used my stash of Japanese novelty prints.  I am in love with all the little characters in the fabric.  Thank you, Donna, for a fun quilt-along!

Smiles,

Monday

I'm puttering around the house this morning.  I can't seem to stay focused on one thing for too long.  There's a certain restlessness that begins to build mid January.  I can see why people head south for the winter.  Snow is predicted in the forecast and the wind chill is biting today.  My sweet Mother-in-love came to visit for the weekend.  My birthday was yesterday and my husbands birthday is tomorrow.  We were born the same year with one day between us, though many miles apart.  He often teases me about being older.  We had a nice dinner out with my Sister-in-love, Ellen, and her family.  I continue to knit away on the mystery shawl.  I got a big kick out of Romantic Homes using the same colors for their February cover.  Today the second clue is revealed.  It has been very fun!  I was getting something out of our junk drawer and spotted the vintage matchbox ambulance that I dug up in the flower bed about 12 years ago when we lived in Ohio.  I decided to do some exploring and found out that it is a 1968 Matchbox Series No. 3 Mercedes Benz "Binz" Ambulance.  It was made in England by Lesney.  If it was in better condition it would be worth a little something but it was well loved and well buried for quite a while.  A fun find though and there are lots on ebay if you collect that sort of thing.  Have a blessed start to your week, friends.

Joyfully,

Sunday Scripture

image found here

Blessings,

Back At Home

I have been in San Francisco for the past few days.  I just got home yesterday.  My husband had a business trip and I got to tag along.  I had the days by myself and I had a lot of fun exploring.  I visited Union Square, Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf, China Town and Alcatraz.  Paul's Aunt Mariesa came in from Woodland and I had a wonderful day with her going to a fabulous knitting shop, Imagiknit and shopping in Japan Town.  She bought me the gorgeous box of Japanese candy. The candy is wrapped so beautifully that I am going to enjoy looking at them for a while before I sample them.  I am doing the "Follow Your Arrow" mystery knit along on Ravelry.  We are making a shawl clue by clue.  The yarn I chose is Madelinetosh Merino Light in Baroque Violet and Torchere.  We just received our first clue yesterday so there is still plenty of time to join in.  I also found some wonderful yarn called "Cherry" it has cherries with crocheted stems and leaves hanging from it.  You can catch a glimpse of it in the second picture.  I came home to find a wonderful present from my longarm quilter/friend, Mary.  She made this gorgeous bag in repro prints.  I was in need of an overnight bag and this will work wonderfully.  What a sweet lady she is.  I don't get to see her now that we've moved and this gift touched me deeply.  Have a wonderful day, friends.  The sun is shining and calling me outside - a whopping 34 degrees which lately, could pass as a heat wave!

Smiles,

For Monday

I've been out of town and just got home this morning.  Since I was unable to post yesterday, I'm moving the scripture to today.  Have a wonderful day, friends!

Blessings,

A Little Swoon

Brrrr...still freezing outside.  I walked to the mailbox and my breath fogged up my glasses. Immediately they turned to ice.  That has never happened to me before.  Some of my son's friends are showing videos of themselves opening the door and throwing a pan of boiling water outside.  The water instantly turns to snow.  We can't be out for more than a few minutes, but the sweet little birds continue to flit past my window.  God's provisions for his creatures is amazing.

I started to work on a mini Swoon quilt for the doll quilt swap I'm participating in.  This pattern is really fun.  The pieces are tiny, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches.  The block measures 8 1/2 inches.  I hope my swap partner will like it!

I'm missing all the Christmas decorations and put out the few winter ones I have.  I really need to make some winter wall hangings or something.  My favorite snowman sits on a church pew in the entrance way.  I got him at a craft fair years ago.  He makes me smile.  Have a wonderful day today, friends!

Hugs,

A Snowy Day

I feel like I should start today's post by saying some thing like "Today we bring you the latest from the North Pole..."  I like many of you are covered in snow and freezing temps.  The wind is so strong at our house that it sounds like pieces of the house are being ripped off.  The last picture shows you the drift of snow on the sliding doors.  It's pretty, but a little unsettling too.  I get claustrophobic if I look at it too long.

I spent the last two days of being house bound taking down all the Christmas decorations (sniff) and cooking up a storm.  We've had pork chops with apples and carmalized onions, beef tenderloin with cheesy potatoes and bread pudding for dessert, seven bean soup with ham and pork carnitas, my favorite recipe currently.  I've got beef stew simmering in the crock pot as I type this.  I don't know what it is about cold weather that makes me want to nest like Little House on the Prairie.

I finished the last four blocks in Donna's quilt along and redid one of the blocks I made earlier because I didn't like how it looked with the rest of them.  This week we will get sashing instructions.  I'm thinking I may have to go with a solid for sashing since I used so many different background fabrics.  I let the prints dictate the background, and I'm glad I did, but it makes sashing that much harder.  In the evenings when the boys have been watching football, I've been crocheting dishcloths.   It's been a long time since I've crocheted anything since knitting is my usual preference but I've really enjoyed it.

I have some major cutting to do today for a queen size wedding quilt, so I better get to it.  Stay warm and safe, friends!

Smiles,

Sunday Scripture

Blessings,

Santa's Workshop Quilt Top

Good morning friends!  I have my first quilt top of the year to show you today.  My dear friend, Trish and I decided to sew across the miles since both of us had a fatquarter bundle of Santa"s Workshop. Trish came up with the pattern and off we went.  It was a lot of fun!  These are my Christmas colors and I'm happy that I will have a new quilt to put out next Christmas.  I'm trying to decide what to back it in and I'll probably be on the lookout for a sale on Christmas fabric.  I hope you had a good New Years.  I have a nasty virus so I spent a quiet New Years at home.  Sweet blessings today!

Smiles,

Wishing you a Happy New Year!

We do not know what the new year holds, but we know who holds the new year and so I ask Lord that we would put our faith and trust in you as we begin 2014.  I ask that you would bless our friends and family.  Give us a heart that is generous to others, may we use the gifts that you have given us for this purpose.  May our lives bring you glory and may we nurture a thankful heart for all that you do for us each day.  Forgive us for our sins and draw us closer to you as we enter the New Year together. In the precious name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.

Sweet blessings,