Christmas x 3

We are lucky...we have loads of family and we all live fairly close to each other...each year we alternate between my parents and my husband's parents for Christmas Day. This year we drove down to my folks place Christmas Eve and this is what greeted us for Christmas I!




















Saturday afternoon was Christmas II. We got up early to drive 3 1/2 hours to my in-laws home (which is just 20 minutes from our house) and this is the lovely tree and stocking lollapalooza that greeted us! Awesome!!

Then Sunday morning we had our family Christmas....Christmas III....Hubby, Daughter, Son and I ripping and tearing. Can you believe the only picture I got of our tree with presents was this one at night?!!


But I think my favorite part of our three Christmas celebrations was watching our kids pick 10 albums each from my album collection! I know they are hoping to do that again on their birthdays in April.

We'll see!;)

~d

Some of My Favorites

Blessings to you and yours.
Peace
~d

My View

Yesterday morning, when I got back from my foray into town, I found my DH and DD had put up the Christmas tree!! I was satisfied with our tomato tree but I have to admit....this one is a winner....except one thing....that is now my view of the TV!:) That's ok...I rather have that beautiful tree with all our glass ornaments than a view of the TV...plus I can always snuggle with DH on the other side of the couch!!;)

I love the tree and my next favorite decoration is the kids stockings....I cross stitched DD and DS stockings the years they were born so now it has been 22/20 years that we have been hanging these stocking by the roaring......record collection!:) Yep, we don't have a fireplace right now but hopefully will have one next Christmas. Here's keeping my fingers crossed!

Peace

~d

Wordless Snowzilla Update...

21"

~d

Snowzilla on Steroids!!

Oh....my....gosh......I went out four hours ago and it was 17" deep and it has not stopped...if anything it is snowing harder! We are getting at least an inch an hour.....I'll go out and measure again tomorrow.

Dear Husband has been out there plowing for 3 hours with our little tiny Ford tractor and the only way he was able to play is because a lovely neighbor came up our driveway with his big boy tractor!:) The wind is blowing snow everywhere, especially in your face!

In D.C. alone this is now the 6th largest snowstorm on record and the largest December storm ever! Loudoun County has already canceled school for Monday and Tuesday so the local kids are starting their Winter break early...Merry Christmas to them!:)

Our driveway is about 2/10ths of a mile long....ugh....but this time the evergreens on both sides are really helping with drifting...a living snow fence.

It is dark now....I think I am going to be scared to look outside tomorrow morning....I'm hoping to be greeted by the sun!!

I know lots of kids are going to be adding sleds to their wish list....I just want snowboots that keep me warm!;)

~d

Snowzilla

We are having a monster of a snowstorm....going to be one for the record books....biggest December snowstorm ever...

And it is officially still Autumn!

Let it snow, let it snow...let it snow!

~d

Merry Christmas Tomato Tree!

Yep, you read that right...as of now we are using our cherry tomato plant for a Christmas tree....don't believe me....look here.....you don't need to adjust your computer....those are cherry tomatoes!!:) We'll see if the kids let this fly!!;)

Peace

~d

An Intercourse Fabric....

....Store...I knew that would get your attention!:)

Yesterday I went on a road trip to Intercourse, PA with my friend Sandie. I had no thoughts to what the day held except a nice drive up to Amish Country and some jerky...she promised me really good jerky.

Two and a half hours later we arrived that the most wonderful place. Horse and buggies all around and it was wash day so everywhere you looked there were these fantasticly long lines of colorful shirts and black pants and skirts. It was amazing. I wish the light had been better for pictures but it wasn't so you will have to use your imaginations.

Our main goal was getting Sandie's Christmas ham. First we stopped at Stoltzfus Meats Deli, a most wonderful place with spices, packaged soups, dried fruits and nuts, candy, perserves and of course MEAT!:) But this isn't where she purchased her ham...

our next stop was the Kitchen Kettle Village right across the street.

The Kitchen Kettle Village is 39 little specialty shops with everything from fudge, coffee beans, quilted bags, leather goods, pottery, engraved signs, music boxes and of course meat!:) You walk down Pepper Lane and all the little shops have their wares inviting you to come in. There's a ton more but too much to list so you can visit the above link!:) So now Sandie had her ham and what a lovely ham it was. I myself was sucked in to buying cheese...because of the samples...that's what happens when there are samples...these people know we are weak! We didn't have to get lunch that's for sure!:)

There was so much to see in Intercourse, I was just overwhelmed...but I came to my senses when Sandie brought me to Zook's Fabric Store!! To say I was a kid in a candy store just doesn't cover it! Rows and rows of fabric....I just walked all the way to the back of the store and then started looking....one row later (that's all...just one row!) and I had nine bolts of fabric in my arms...this picture on the right shows my haul....each only $3.49 per yard!!

OK, so I figure I need to stop right there so I took them to the nice lady doing the cutting....and I she says why don't I go look around more while she cut.....bad advice for me....good for her though because I noticed a treasure room several steps down!!!! That's where the true remnants were!! All $2.29 a yard!!! They were in hunks anywhere from 7/8 a yard to 3 or 4 yards and the only thing was these could not be cut...you took it all or nothing.....I took it ALL!! I mean for $2.49 who can resist...not me!

Then...I look behind me.... oh..... my..... gosh.....Kona solids for $3.69 per yd!!!! I bravely held myself up and even more bravely picked out just three...just three!:) That's the picture at the top, three Kona's on the left and my remnants on the right. I mean I really had to stop myself....worst of all I found out they have a website...the prices on remnants are really good there too but much better at the physical stores of course.

Lesson learned my friends....where there is meat....there is FABRIC!!!:)

Oh.....and moon pies...oops...I mean whoopie pies!!

Thanks Sandie!!

~d

Still Busy...But Seeing the End of the Tunnel!

Here is a basket full of fun and yes, I sure did have fun making them...this is the 8 of 12 small quilts I have been working on. I'm not even going to worry about getting the other 4 done in time for the Christkindlmarket on Saturday. I really want to try to free motion quilt on those and I have to prepare myself for that since I'm still kinda unsure of it all.








Here are 8 tablerunners/toppers I finished yesterday. I really like making these because I can have fun making any kind of block I want and sew a few together, machine quilt, hand bind and it's done and they really come out nice and they are quick. Five of them are Christmas/winter, two of them are leftover wonky blocks and one is a wonky star....love the wonk!!:)




~d

Look what you can get at Urban Outfitters!

Isn't that a lovely pile of fabric!! Our son works one day a week at Urban Outfitters (for the great discount) in Richmond. I don't think any of the clothes would fit me but the linens sure do!

As a parent of an employee we get 25% off, he gets 40%!! But last week I was checking out Urban's website and looking at the sale items in the bedding department and came across some tapestries, duvet covers and fabric and just couldn't resist some of them!! And I think I received 40% off all of them!

The birdcage fabric is just that...fabric that you can buy....so I did...two packs...6.4 yds total for $12!

The tapestry is the rose fabric with blue background...huge lovely piece....about 6 yds worth for $6!!

The multi-colored floral is a duvet so twice the fabric....9.2 yds for $15.00!!

And the modern print with the dove is also a duvet. The print is by Alexander Girard, he worked for Herman Miller's textile division in the 50s and that lovely piece is about 6.3 yds of fabric for $12!!!

All told I got about 28yds of fabric for $45 which translates to $1.60 per yd or even if you count the shipping and handling...which wouldn't have been what it was if I hadn't purchased some other items...it still came to $2.32 per yd!

Now I know you all can't get the discount but they have really great sales and you should check them out about once a month to look or if you are lucky enough to have an Urban Outfitters near your home even better, stop in and give it all a feel...just make sure no one is looking!;)

~d

It's Official...She's going to Oxford Brookes....

....Yes....Oxford Brookes in jolly olde Oxford, England...that is where Dear Daughter is going to grad school next Fall to get her MA in Creative Writing!

DD sent her application in this summer and then was supposed to have a phone interview on Thanksgiving morning but the call never came and she just made it to the meal on time! So she waited another week (after hearing the really good excuse why she was stood up, a young person's safety was at issue) and had a lovely chat with England and was told they would recommend her for a spot! Of course we weren't allowed to say anything until she received the "Official Letter" which was killing me! Well, today she received an email from Harriet (her new favorite person and contact at Brookes) saying she was quite in and would be getting a letter in a few days!! So now I am spreading the news and bragging!!:)

Guess Dear Husband best be getting his passport!

~d

ps...Lynz...she is going to want to visit you in Scotland!;)

Eight of Twelve!

Well, it snowed yesterday....6" of snow...wet heavy snow...it was wonderful! DH and DD and I spent the day all snugglie warm watching college football!! Happily Cinncinnati beat Pitt and WVU beat Rutgers so they are 1 and 2 in the Big East! Cinn will be going to a BCS Bowl game and our Mountaineers will be going to the Gator Bowl!! Waiting to see who they'll play against.

Along with watching football I handstitched the binding on five more baby quilts for a total of eight finished for DD's Christkindlmarket this Saturday. Now I can breath a little better. If I get the other four done that will be great but I'm not going to stress about it if I don't.

I just can't get over how much better the quilts look after they have been washed and dried...too bad I can't look better after a shower and a blow dry!:)

Actually I do need to get one of them done in time for the Market, this one with dogs driving cars...for Susan....I know she is waiting to see it finished!;)

I sure hopes it snows some more soon!:)

~d

Look What I Won!!

We're on the 4th round of the Old Red Barn Quilt-Along making Circle Quilts with Crazy 9 patch, String squares, Curved Piecing, Applique Circles and Snowballs!! Phew....are we really doing all that!:)

Heidi "Hats" Elliot is leading us in this latest round and she had a fantastic giveaway and guess who won!! Yep...I did and here is what I received in the mail today....

Not only did she send me the circle cutter, Heidi also included two awesome FQs, this adorable Target shopping bag and a lovely card with a rhinestone!:) WhooooooHoooooo....thanks Heidi!! So of course the next thing I had to do is try out that cutter and here is the results...

That thing cut like butter! All you do is figure out what size circle you want and divide by two! The yellow arm has a ruler on it so you just loosen the screw and slide the pointy end of the cutter to what will be the center of your circle and tighten. Slide up the blade guard, grab the handle on the top and swing it around on the fabric and you have a PERFECT circle...and hole in your fabric!!:) Fabulous!! I'll be using these circles as appliques on my quilt....after Christmas!:)

~d

Seeing Double, Triple, Quadruple......

So, is this what you thought those little blocks of wood were? I loved the guesses, especially city planner!:)

These Holy Family sets are bound for the ChristkindlMarket that my dear daughter has organized for the German Bistro where she works....it is coming up on the 12th. My DH cut the blocks out for me...thanks sweetie!:) I found this design in one of my Pop's wood magazines a million years ago so I don't have any clue who to credit!

I still have so much work to do to get ready...I have six crib quilts waiting for me to handsew the binding and four more pin-basted in the ready for quilting. I need to put string or ribbon hangers on lots of ornaments. I have crocheted about 7 scarves and made a few mini baskets and about 20 mini stockings...I have been busy! Best of all I have used up a lot of stuff taking up room in our house. The only thing I have purchased is some fabric and thread....we know that is always a joy!!

I love carving these little ornaments. My husband puts linseed oil on them and the color and grain of the wood shines. In this case my Pops cut out the squares and diamonds from leftover poplar (my favorite wood but not to carve...too hard) and aspenwood which is very white and soft so there really isn't much grain but it was all scrap and Pops did a great job cutting and sanding them. I just need to add some colorful ribbon for hanging.


I promise I'll post some pictures of the quilts when I get them bound, washed and dried in all their crinkly glory. Now I need to tag everything and everyone knows that deciding what to charge for each item is no fun....you know there is no way you can be properly compensated for labor and material but I am not looking for a profit, just trying to help out DD with her market and earn a little more cash for my stash!!:)

~d

PS...Pops made me some really awesome little wooden Xmas trees for the market....go look here at my sister's blog...http://www.foobella.com/2009/11/winter-is-coming.html