Merry Christmas from Texas!

What a day!  We were so blessed to spend Christmas surrounded by family to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  The kids let us sleep in, it was the dog that woke us up...go figure.

The Co-Defendants were on their best behavior...

They look like they like one another, don't they?  By now, they've closeted themselves in their rooms.  Co-Def #1 is building some sort of Lego monstrosity...yeah, more tiny little bricks for me to step on in the dead of night!  Co-Def #2 has been playing beauty parlor with her stuffed toys...Grannie is determined to turn her into a girly-girl.

And to my relief, she really liked the purse I made...

 
Dear Hubby and I are about to drop in our tracks we're so tired...and full of my Mom's homemade tamales!  We've also decided toy manufacturers and battery companies are in cahoots.  My parents got me an awesome red Kitchen Aid stand mixer...it's gorgeous and weighs a TON.  Do you think it counts as exercise when I have to move it out of the cabinet to use?  

Merry Christmas, y'all!
 

Christmas Countdown

Christmas is almost here!  The kids are home today, practically bouncing off the walls because Dear Hubby is taking us all around town to view Christmas lights and they. just. can't. wait!

The closer we get, the faster time seems to go.  Monday evening, DH took us to a live Nativity hosted by a local nursing home.

Who's got the bigger smile...the kids or the camel?

Paige brought home some pretty artwork which I dutifully ooohed and aaahed over...and smiled when I got to the last bit of writing.

I've baked cookies until I thought my arms would fall off.  Today, I had a helper who sported a 'Holiday Meal Director' apron and sweet smile.

And Lulu waited patiently for someone, anyone to drop a cookie please, please, please drop a cookie!

Paige and I ventured out this morning to WalMart..and no, I hadn't lost my mind.  I actually parked within walking distance of the entrance and everyone was civilized.  Leave it to one of my kids to inform me this close to Christmas that they'd outgrown their blue jeans.  Sorry, but Mommy does not want to wash uniform pants every other day through Christmas break, so out we went.  Didn't I say on Monday I'm not going into another store until after Christmas?  I believe I said it again Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday...all while standing in some line!  Smile.

I went down to Mom's Thursday night to sew with her and my aunt and managed to get two rag quilts done..one infant and one toddler size.  Yay, me!

I really like rag quilts.  They're quick and easy.  Unfortunately, they're also a tad messy.

Yep, that's my dryer filter.  Ick!  But the payoff is a snuggly quilt for a little one so it's all good!

This last little bit, we picked up while we were out this morning.  I'm not sure what the significance is, but Paige reminded me Santa nicely left some in their stockings last year.  And who doesn't love a gold wrapped bit of chocolate yumminess!

Wishing you a stress free (yeah, right), fun filled, happy Christmas surrounded by loved ones as we celebrate the real reason for the season...Jesus' birth.

Have a blessed Christmas, y'all!

So Many UFOs

Will...it...never...end?  Who knew one quilter could have so much unfinished business!  I keep finding in progress projects everywhere.  Eeeek!!

I started binding the popsicle quilt last night down at Mom's and finished up while waiting in the pickup line at school this afternoon.  Sorry the picture's so bad, but it's been dreary, rainy and nasty.  I'm beginning to think the sun has gone on vacation.

Here's my quilt model, Co Def #2.  For someone who scowls so much otherwise, she certainly finds her way into many of my quilt pictures.  I think this makes a nice sized baby quilt and I backed it with flannel to make it extra snuggly.

Mom and I took a little road trip south to Salado this morning.  I needed (yes, needed) navy blue with stars fabric for Co Def #1's airplane quilt.  And no, I couldn't get it here in town...very frustrating!  I picked up a couple of patterns and books and oh yes, the fabric, so I'm happy.  The shop ladies wished me luck on my no fabric/patterns/books buying for 2012 resolution.  Actually, they snickered and did the eyeball roll thing, but that's okay because they made up for it by giving each of us a little fat quarter pack as a Christmas gift.  Yay, us!!  If you're ever that-a-way, be sure to stop in at A Sewing Basket in Salado.

I'm linking up with Amanda Jean from Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday.

Happy quilting, y'all!

Q.I.T.

I confess, I don't have an actual quilt project to show you for WIP Wednesday.  I do, however, have the next best thing...a Q.I.T. 

What you may ask is a Q.I.T?  It's a quilter in training, of course!     

Her attention span is short, her feet barely touch the pedal and her seams are squirrelly to put it kindly, but she's hardheaded determined just like her mother.  On the advice of some Facebook quilting friends, I started her out making a nine patch from charm squares.  She's got the three rows done and she'll get those together as soon as Mom takes her Xanax this weekend.  Mom's scrap box seems to be her new toy box and she's already eyeballing the yardage.  I'm thinking of putting in a security system to guard my stash.

Happy quilting, y'all! 

A Quilter's Christmas

We have somehow managed to accumulate a multitude of Christmas decorations...cardboard boxes and plastic totes are brought down from the attic usually accompanied by a fair amount of grumbling from Dear Hubby, bless his heart.  This year I really strived to pare it all down, meaning my house does not look like Santa's village blew up.  Yay me!  It only took two days to put everything out as opposed to a week and a half.  We still had to shove furniture aside, but the upside is my sewing desk is now hidden behind the Christmas tree.  It's (almost) like having a separate room all to my lonesome, so I decided it needed a bit of holiday cheer too.

 

My Mom made this one



The above trio she got through The Danbury Mint catalog

These are from Hallmark...love their ornaments!

Do you decorate your sewing space for the winter holiday you celebrate?  If not, why not!  After all, any space could use a little cheer!

My Mom Rocks!

I have the most awesomest Mom in the entire universe!  There, I've said it and I dare you to argue with me.  Only a Mom who passionately (and I don't think I'm overstating her dislike here) hates all things whimsically Seuss would make her perfectly awesome in every way only child a Christmas pillowcase....from Dr. Seuss fabric!!  SQUEAL!!!!!

I can just hear Thurl Ravenscroft intone You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch.

And just when I thought it couldn't get any better, she goes and buys a tattoo...for my car! 

Then again, I always knew my Mom rocked since she accompanied me and paid for my first tattoo.  Smile.
Thanks for being my partner in crime, Ma...I love you!

Finished: Batiks Sampler

It's not 'done' until the binding's on I always say.  Boy, do I ever have a lot to get done!  I managed to finish this piece before Co Def #2's dental adventure...this is why she's smiling.

All paper-pieced (love, love, love paper piecing) blocks with added sashing and borders for interest.  Not sure what this is exactly...wall hanging, table topper, who knows!  It'll probably wind up disappearing from my sewing area only to turn up as a doll quilt...not that I'm naming names, mind you.  Paper piecing is awesome because everything turns out 'just so' with points matching.  For those of us Type A personalities, it's divine! 

I'm linking up with Amanda Jean at crazymomquilts.

Happy quilting, y'all!
   

Thankful Thursday

Well, Paige and I both survived the dentist ordeal today.  As we pulled into the parking lot she said I don't think I can do this.  As an official Bad Mommy I replied Oh, yes you can and added my meanest Mom Face for good measure.  She passed with flying colors, the Tooth Fairy will have a fabulous silver covered tooth to pick up tonight and Mommy didn't have to take a Xanax.  It's a win for all of us!

I have to give a huge THANK YOU to her dentist, Dr. Trotter.  You see, when I went to pay the bill, the office lady informed me that it was the Dr's birthday and as such she was giving back to her patients...by providing dental care for the day free of charge!!  I stood there stunned and started bawling.  When I finally got myself together, the entire front office was bawling right along with me.  I managed to collect my offspring and hustle us home where we promptly fell asleep.

I didn't get much else done what with running between fetching blankets and pillows and trying to fill the bottomless pit that is my daughter's stomach (nothing to eat or drink since midnight Wednesday night...I guess she was making up for lost time!)  I did manage to press the rest of the curved blocks I pieced and cleaned up the sewing area a bit.  And I can now narrate the entire movie Cinderella from start to finish.  You know, I never liked that chick. 

Thanks to those ladies who left encouraging words for us today...we really needed them!

WIP Wednesday

Wednesday's WIP is a cross-stitch sampler kit I bought about, oh, ten years ago from Better Homes and Gardens.  I set it aside when I discovered scrapbooking, which in turn, got set aside when I discovered quilting.  Yes, I have a revolving door of hobbies.  Personally, I think this just makes me a well rounded crafter.

The kids have helped over the course of two days to get our Christmas tree set up and decorated.  I was happy last year with the four foot tree, but this year I was browbeaten into putting up the behemoth.  Somehow, we've acquired all manner of animatronic figures and doodads.  Personally, I'd rather set up our Nativity and call it good.  Isn't that what Christmas is all about anyway?  I've already decided at the end of the season to do some serious weeding out of all our decorations.  You can't see Jesus in the manger for all the other crap we've got going on. 

Santa has elves...I have minions!

Tomorrow, Co Def #2 is having some fairly involved dental work done.  I'm taking along my cross-stitch WIP to hopefully distract myself during the supposedly two hour ordeal.  She's already a nervous wreck, and frankly, I'm not far behind.  I chose a totally inappropriate time to go cold turkey on the Xanax.  Wish us luck.

 
And last, but not least, my blogger buddy Mary over at Made with Love by Mary is in need of prayers as she prepares to go through some health related tests.  It's the season of miracles.  I'm praying for one for her.

Happy quilting, y'all!

Something New

I keep telling myself that one day I will finish all the quilting projects I've begun before moving on to something new and exciting.

Today is not that day.

Every year my kids' school has a huge fundraiser with all sorts of goodies going up for auction.  I'm not sure how it happened, but I'm making a quilt as part of this annual effort. 

Actually, I do know how it happened...I opened my mouth.

Anyway, the theme has to do with 'wild' things, so here's the nuts and bolts of my 'wild' quilt.

I bought the pattern 'Center Court' several years back at The Quilt Haus in New Braunfels Texas and thought it would be perfect for the big-print focus fabric.  The dark green will be sashing; the tan on the far left is for the border.  The other four prints are for the pieced blocks.  I'm rather awful at picking out fabrics that play well with one another, but I feel pretty good about this grouping.  With luck, this will go together quickly and I can move on to a new project to that stack of WIPS glowering from the dark recesses of my sewing corner.

Happy quilting, y'all!

I Finished Something!

Oh, dreary, rainy, nasty day...thank you, Lord for perfect quilting weather!  While it's cold and wet outside, I'm inside with my doggie companion, a cup of Starbucks and my faithful Featherweight.

And (drumroll, please) I finally have something for Finish It Up Friday to link with Amanda Jean from crazymomquilts!  Whohoo!!

I'm making I made this cute little bag for my tomboy daughter for Christmas.  And it's not even Christmas yet!!  The picture does not do justice to the truly gaudy silver and hot pink snakeskin fabric, yes I said snakeskin and the silver flame wings of the hearts.  She'll love it!

 
Can't you tell I'm excited?  I think I have quilter's ADD because it takes forever for me to get anything done since I hop from one project to the next...and I'm always missing out on Finish It Up Friday.

Here's the pattern I used from Atkinson Designs.  Whatever Terry Atkinson does is always super-easy and I love her patterns.  This is the first bag I've made that's been totally devoid of cursing.  Shocking, I know.

What are you working on today?

Happy quilting, y'all!