A few things to check off on the Christmas List

But believe me......the list still awaits. But it will have to wait a wee bit.

Off to Mexico tomorrow morning for a week. Might get a few dolls clothes done yet while flying. Thought I would share a few of my finished projects...

Hats, Hats and more Hats

I guess with Winter comes hats and this Grandma is loving every minute as I stitch for my darling grandchildren. While out in Medicine Hat at our granddaughters 5th birthday I crocheted these three little hats for the girls.....just had to share!

Of course what I really wanted to share was my cute little girls! I'm sure you would agree, right?

Two more girlie ones then the revising starts...going to try and change it up a bit to suit our two little grandsons.

If you are interested in the pattern I found it online free!

"The Macaroon Hat"

Designed by: Allison Weldon

www.MaggiesCrochet.com

testing

this blog is making me angry....and just when i decided to get back in the groove it gets all messed up! grrrrrrr

I wasn't ready...

As you may see by the site we came home to last nite. My fall decor still sits at my back door and enterance way but when I take a peek outside this morning, this is what I see! Now tell me; what would you rather have greet you each morning?

I know what I would choose, but I do have a favorite winter quote that I think of often during those long cold months.... " Winter is a time to gather golden moments and enjoy every idle hour."

Stella does "Spring"

Ya I know it's winter just around the corner but I do have a new quilt finished just in time for the season. My sister, niece and I made a quick(quilters quick) trip to Moose Jaw last spring and I fell in love with this pattern. Seams like every quilt I do I like to be able to add some sort of hand work or embellishing on it. Well I loved the flowers and ric rak and I couldn't resist, beside the one taht sits at our couch could hardly keep you warm on a warm summers nite anymore....getting very thin but I 'm thinking I can move that one to the car or trailer, right? Got to find a place for it and the others so I can keep making more

Where does a person begin....

"They whom we loved and lose are no longer where they were before...
They are now forever in our hearts"

August 20th I said goodbye forever to my dear and special Mom....forever in this life, that is.

A very very sad day as well as the summer as I watched her suffer in pain and eventually slip away. My days are just not the same and there is such an emptiness that I can not imagine ever going away.

But one thing is for sure....I am forever grateful for all the time well spent together and all the wonderful memories that will be cherished forever.

I

Love

You

Mom

Must not forget about my little project I had time to complete yesterday as well as use up some of those lemons in my fruit bowl. Even had time to take some to coffee row and share them with a few friends.

I think I did share that I completed my Winter Wonderland quilt and snuggle under it quite often. I figure I should show you a picture of it before it gets too warn out! ha ha I laugh but believe me summer or no summer, hardly a day goes by that either Rocky or I are not under one of those quilts. The little hat I finally completed for Olivia to match her little leggings is now a little out of season but I gave it to her anyway. She can always enjoy it on her dollies if nothing else.

The picture of the little "quiet please" door pillow is not the best but it was kind of hard taking the picture directly into the sunlight. I'm hoping that this will be a great way to let visitors know that little Lacey is Napping....

A Garden to Keep

This morning after my bike ride I decided to grab a coffee and a book and enjoy a half hour of the beautiful morning sun. The book I have started to read I picked up at our church library awhile back and forgotten I had it. A Garden to Keep by Jamie Langston Turner had me thinking of my tiny little garden and yard and how much I love it in summer time. I felt the need to run in and grab my camera and Share with you a few of the reasons I so love summer and my yard. The roses are blooming and the Tiger Lilies are popping daily and I love the colour it adds to my yard. I also had to snap a quick photo of my little pole bean patch because on Sunday Kayd decided that Gramma should have his bean plant to add to her garden. I'm sure it will be the cutest and of course produce the best tasting beans of the whole patch.... yummm yummm, my favorite!

You've Got One Hour!!

Well when I got off the phone with my sister these were her last words as she hung up....

" you have 1 hour"

One hour I thought to myself as I heard my hubby walking into th

e house from work. I didn't have supper ready and we had made plans for a quick bike ride on his new bike and I have a meeting at church tonite and my sister tells me she will give me one hour to have something new posted on my blog because it's been forever since I have done anything even remotely close to posting or even taking pictures.

Well I blew it big time....but like they say.... "better Late than never"

But I have done a wee bit of stitching while either sitting in the car or in front of the sports channel with my hubby. When our newest little addition was added to our family I thought maybe a shhhh babies sleeping pillow for the front door would be nice. Couldn't quite find that but I did find this old embroider pattern from my Mom and Granny's liquid embroider stash from what seems to be eons ago. I love these old patterns. And yes I did finally complete my "Winterwonderland " quilt and have even found moments to snuggle under it....

Hoping to maybe today to do a bit of long cabin around this little kittie with some of my left over reds from my quilt. Stay posted there Sis, you may even see TWO posts in one day!

Time

Honestly......really ......where does it go? Every morning I seem to wake with great expectations for the day and then just like that, the day is gone! I really do have to start getting myself into some better way of organizing myself. Nobody ever told me that menoPAUSE could really have so many effects on oneself.


Forgetfullness is probably right up there high on my list as well as sluggishness , sleepless nights unless I drug myself up and then yes those raging fires that seem to burn on and on inside of me, and then yes of course there is forgetfulness, or did I already say that? See what I mean and how am really expected to get things done when this is how my body operates

It's a Happy Day

I awoke this morning to once again realize just how fortunate I am to be able to be the Mother to my three very special children and their spouses. One thing I surely don't take for granted is Motherhood. I feel the Lord has truly blessed me with such a wonderful family and what a miracle to have been able to have our three children and now as I look back over this past week that I was at my son's and daughter-in-laws I see those miracles multiplying. How special to be able to rock that new born precious baby in my arms and to play hide and seek, barbies and ponys and all those fun girly games with the two older ones. I'm very thankful for every opportune moment!

Home on Saturday and then Sunday was spent with my daughter and husband and their two boys. Always excitement and never a dull moment as we played inside and out on the wagon and swings. Now I only have to wait for four more days to have the arrival of our two little granddaughters from Edmonton. And I so hope that we will not have to quote Pooh and be saying " Tut, Tut it looks like rain!" because I so want to be able to enjoy the outdoors with the girls when they arrive.

So as usual I am so very busy but oh so very grateful I am! Hope to spend sometime in my sewing room too while the girls are napping of course!

So stay tuned as they say....there just might be some new photo's soon.

It's been awhile...actually it's been a real long while

Hardly even know where to start but a trip out to Ontario might be good for starters. My sister Wendy & I planned a surprise visit out to Mom's for her 76th birthday. First time she had all four of her children with her on that day since 1975. In my opinion...Way way to long.

She had many birthdays with her children just not all four together.

She just kept looking at us, smiling, shaking her head, and saying I just can't believe that you are really here! Now that is why I love surprises!

Visits with Aunts and cousins added pleasure to our trip as well. As much as we love our family, Sis and I could not spend every waking moment doing family things and besides Mom had gotten her Passport in the fall of last year and had yet to even try it out! We figured it was high time, so over the bridge we went into Soo Michigan. Yup! You guessed it! Second stop(first stop was for MOM) at Joanne's and then to the Quilted Moose. I must confess when it came time to pack my suitcase it was almost 20 pounds more than when I came and the only thing that wasn't material was a small bag that was purchased at the Bath & Body

My plans for next week is to get a wee bit of sewing and organizing done, but nothing but pleasure for me this week-end! Off to see our newest additon to the family.

Our Son and his wife had a baby girl on Tuesday evening.

Lacey Brielle .... what a beautiful name to go with a perfectly beautiful baby Girl!

A free stichery give-a-way

and is so darn cute, I just had to share with my fellow quilters

http://busyascanbe.blogspot.com/

click on this link to see the cutest little tea towel and a chance to win this free give-a-way!

You won't be sorry!

Block of the Month

Saturday was a very quilty day....This year our guild decided we would do a block of the month and learn some new techniques and use our blocks in the end to make comfort quilts.

And we are being taught by some of the finest in our guild! Coming home with only one block done left me feeling a little guilty and behind. Well Family day I had no family home so I decided to finish up my 3 other blocks to complete this. So far we have tackled railway fence, flying geese, logcabin, steeple chase(curves), applique, lotsa triangles & now paper piecing. When I catch up (who knows when that will be) I will post the rest of the blocks. Oh ya I forgot to say that I challenged myself to do a christmas block of each of these that I would make into a table cloth...so far I think I have one of those done.....Keep watching!

I've got some Show & Tell

and is nothing I've quilted.......

It's just my TAN..... I know, I'm a brat , eh!

But I do hope to be getting together with fello quilters on Saturday, so maybe by the end of the week-end I might actually have something to show that might interest you! LOL

Till then........

More Show & Tell

A few other ladies from our guild had some wonderful accomplishments and I just needed to share them with you too! I can't only be showing my Show & Tell....now that would hardly be fair would it???

Julie with her cute little bags that are now off of her UFO List....

and I can just read her mind...."honestly Barb , do you always have to take pictures"!

Kathleen with the very first completed Tin Can Challenge....way to go Kathleen!

Donna with her Quilt of Valour...not sure how many our guild made but many and they are being blessed in church at the end of the month and then being sent to our soldiers...what a small part we can do for them as they show courage and strength for all of us.


Deb as she bravely shows her first quilt of what she called "not her choice of colours" she was very brave and went outside the box! Way to go Deb!

Kathleen with her Christmas Moda collection

all done up! We were all so amazed at how much show and tell she had and she replied "this is what happens if nobody comes home over the holidays"! LOL Well done !

SHOW & TELL

Friday afternoon and Saturday was a much enjoyed day....visiting with my quilting friends and finishing my Redwork Winter Wonerland quilt I must say was my highlight of the week-end. When I got home and went to download my pictures from the day I noticed that someone must have taken my camera and taken a picture of me at Show & Tell.

I was able to bring a friend from Australia to our guild which we all enjoyed so much. And she even showed us all up ! She was the first to complete her Steeple Chase block...Way to go Jane!

A New Year and New Promises

yes I guess you can call it New Years resolutions if you like, but I prefer to call it promises and yes I have made a few!

One being that I promise to keep my body in better shape....somehow over the past year and a half I have neglected to keep my body fit and I'm thinking i really don't like how I look and feel. So yes it is a promise to exercise in some way 5 days a week.

I also made a UFO List to send to our guild and I have made a promise to tackle one of those projects weekly. Check out my side bar....I will put them up there

Our guild president challenged us all to send a list into her by the end of January and each month meeting at show & tell if we have something that we have stroked off our UFO list our name goes into a draw for a $250.00 gift certificate at one one our local quilt shops. Now is that encouragement or what??? I have 21 items on my list.....hmmmm, I wonder how many times my name will be entered in for the draw? I will keep you posted...