Catch up...

Wishing all the joy of the season.  I missed a Christmas post trying to complete gifts and the cooking marathon.  We had a lovely day with family - three horses and two dogs dictate day trips but the long drive to Vermont was well worth the joy in my great nephews' faces as they browsed their story quilts that are yet to be completed.  I took white squares for signatures of grandparents, parents, and aunts and uncles for the back, so they can sleep under the love of family.  C wanted to know if I could have his done the next day.  I asked him for a week.  One note - when adapting to a new GPS, check the route on the directions from BIL... since we started and ended on an unpaved road, we checked that unpaved roads were OK -- somehow we never envisioned the single lane dirt track that was Goat Farm Road.  Thank goodness for four wheel drive.

I fell behind on my Schnibbles -- here is November's in Portobello Market - I seem to have a never ending bin of this fabric but I do love it still.  This is just the top but is in line for backing and quilting this week.

I can't remember the blog post about viewing a quilt through pictures and realizing mis-placed squares, but it is so true.  I love the Picnic quilt too much to leave the two sections with points not pointing, so will sit with seam ripper tonight and finish tomorrow.


My December Schnibbles - Tuffets.  A while ago , Carrie of Miss Rosie fame had a post about darling pin toppers.  I have since learned that I am quite vulnerable in the morning when I read my blogs, and ordered quite a few...so I used the opportunity to make pincushions for several of them.

And I used fabrics from stash for all. 

I do enjoy using the Miss Rosie patterns .. they sometimes test my patience but I love the results.

My immediate goals include finishing the many projects started over the past few years - I have a zigzag quilt in the quilting process with two other quilts in the wings.  Of course, I have to finish the boys' story quilts - then four waiting for piecing.  And I have to visit Knight's in Cape Neddick to use my gift certificate from my sister -

Hope you are all well -

Have a great day!

Lynda

Interlude

My sister was invited to a cookie exchange in Boston... with a note on the invitation that says that the packaging of the cookies is as important as the contents (Martha Stewart-ish).  Playing out the role of older sister, I volunteered to make 12 of these..

Our original plan was to get together tomorrow to complete the packages... but the forecast for Maine is iffy for the storm that is creeping up the East coast... so will get together today -- almost finished.

Under the watchful eye...

Meet Bagel -- Parson's Russell with attitude.  She does not like the camera!

Have a great day!

Lynda

On the table Thursday

What to do with 120 'I spy' squares as a result of Karen's (sewmanyways.blogspot.com) swap when you have the annual rush toward Christmas since it is hard to plan farther head than today (daughter's birthday)...

First, you separate all the foodie squares and make a bag for future niece who is in culinary school...

Next, quilts for nephews ...

I have some work to do...

Have a great day!

Lynda

Tuesday treats

I discovered quilt blogs about 6 months ago and one of the first that I started following daily was Pat's Little bits..of Pat.  I so enjoyed her unpacking of her Amish bag, and was visiting my mother in Lancaster just before Thanksgiving -- with a commitment ahead of time that I was not going to any of the quilt shops this time.  Silly me - I should have known that I couldn't resist the temptation when I drove by (and turned around) the one shop that I have not browsed.  So here are the results of my stop at the PA Fabric outlet on the New Holland Pike.  I can't be as creative as Pat with her tour of the Amish bag - I can't find mine anywhere...Lots of home dec fabric and...

Five yards of white quilter's cotton - two of the cream - and a handle for a ruler.

Black and red webbing for bag straps...

Eight zippers ($1) and 2 wads of elastic (35 cents)..

A bag of buttons and horse bit clasps ($3)

2 yards each of these fabrics - all cotton - at $3.50 a yard

And 3 yards of this fabric - joins my collection of horse fabric for the 2 acre horse quilt that I will make for my daughter some day.

Total purchase - $70...  inspired by Pat?  No, I will assume full responsibility.  There were numerous bins of bits and pieces... my mother wanted to purchase one piece of lace as an insert in her 'low cut' shirts but had to select 6 for a $1 despite trying to tell the clerk that she would just pay the same for the one she selected.

Have a great day!

Lynda

Monday's Musings

With camera in hand, I have finally reset my commitment to keep a diary of sorts of various quilting projects - and join the many who have shared their decorations.  I also had to update the picture from the window -- which at least is not yet covered in snow.  The metal roof on this side of the house allows the snow to slide down and create a huge pile that covered the window for the past three years.  Something about nature's insulation.  This farmhouse was completely renovated in the early 90s, leaving few original features.  The center chimney remains so that there are three fireplaces -- only two are decorated so far. 

The very prim Santa to the left of the wreath was from a giveaway by Brenda at rustythimblesalesblog.blogspot.com -- and has certainly made himself at home.  What better place than over a fireplace built in 1800 althought I missed the original bread oven on the other side.  Many thanks Brenda!

The livingroom fireplace has my one completed Christmas quilt hanging and a Santa made from an old quilt.  My quilt is one of the Schnibbles.  The close up is one of two tiny Shaker boxes painted by Susan Trenowith and are among my favorite things.

Here's the second painting on a box lid...

I have several small trees around the house - and a balsam candle to make up for the lack of a fresh tree this year.  This one is in the center hall and is the Santa tree.

Finally, in the sewing room, I have two Christmas projects in progress.  I just finished the squares for Gail Pan's stitchery and will frame and complete a small quilt this week.  The second one is Lynda Hall's Bundling Board quilt that is done in muted reds and greens that was intended as a Christmas quilt when started many years ago... and is finally waiting for quilting.

I have linked this post to SewCalGal's virtual Christmas quilt show just for fun... http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/2009/12/virtual-christmas-quilt-show.html  Great viewing!

I would like to dedicate the picture at the top of the page to Barb - it should make her picture from her window in Hawaii even more appealing!  Tomorrow, I have some pictures for Pat of the goodies that I brought back from Lancaster in my 'Amish bag.'

Have a great day!

Lynda

Invitation

Between traveling and the lack of a camera, I have neglected this blog.  I certainly have much to add, but for today, I am sending an invitation.  My niece Abby was taken from us in a car accident in 1997 just before her 15th birthday.  Each family member felt the impact - from the loss of a daughter and sister to my daughter's loss of a best friend.  This evening, we light a camdle of rememberance -- and I invite anyone who has experienced the loss of a child to join us.

Believed to be the largest mass candle lighting on the globe, the Worldwide Candle Lighting, a gift to the bereavement community from The Compassionate Friends, creates a virtual 24-hour wave of light as it moves from time zone to time zone. Hundreds of formal candle lighting events are held and thousands of informal candle lightings are conducted in homes as families gather in quiet remembrance of children who have died, but will never be forgotten

More later...

Lynda