It's Beginning To Seem Alot Like Christmas!

No. No snow yet, but an endless supply of frozen fog.  It does make everything white.

I finally framed a small stitchery that i did last winter. It was shown in multi colors but, loving redwork, I did it in bluework!

I've been doing other sewing lately but after the first of the year I plan to really attack all the quilt patterns in my "I Want To Do" file. We won't talk about how BIG it is LOL I think I'm addicted to downloading all the neat patterns I see online, plus buying every quilting magazine that catches my eye. If you think I can ever throw one out, WRONG. Sometimes I just grab a few, sit in my rocker, and feast on the eye candy! I also scatter a few in strategic places in the living room as seasonal decor. Nate Berkus likes stacks of books so why not magazines also? LOL

Today I'm thankful that moving the thermostat for the furnace has helped a great deal in warming the rest of the house. It is a programmable one so now I need to get it programmed for something warmer than 62*! That's not in my comfort zone, more like my "I'm frozen now" zone! Now, if I could just get rid of the nasties in my bedroom I'd have my entire tiny house back! OR, I could just move. I'd REALLY like that!

Have a totally awesome day!



White Christmas? Maybe

It's snowing!  Not very much, just enough to make the ground white so far but I'm sure all the kids are excited!

Here's what I've finished today.  I'm making progress!

You can't tell from the photo but there are tiny little pom-poms, glitter, and sequins on the snowmen. These little postcards go to the grands in Texas.

The tea towel apron started out as one of those quick in-an-afternoon projects.  Well, it turned into a PROJECT! I really wanted to use that yellow ric-rac but I was 5" short. Bummer. I "borrowed" just enough from another project but then there was a seam where it joined so I made the yo-yo flowers to cover it up. It called for ribbon ties but every day I've had in mind to go to town something else has come up so I used some other  coordinating fabric to make the ties.  FINALLY, it's done!

I've been having so much fun making postcards that I did the two with the reindeer from two orphan blocks I had and two little Daisy Kingdom reindeer that I've had "forever." I think they were in the scrap part of some Daisy Kingdom thing I did for my younger daughter when she was young. (She just turned 31, so you know how old those reindeer are!)

I have one more postcard in mind to make for my sister (by choice, not blood). She has really been there for me even though we live about 60 miles apart at this time. So I'm going to try and make her a paper pieced yellow rose. We'll see how it comes out.

A friend came over and checked out the "cool-air" furnace.  It put out heat just fine when he was here.  Yesterday, back to cool air.  He's coming back tomorrow.  Everything checks out just fine when he puts his meter on it.  Sigh.  Thank you God for my pellet stove!  I had to clean out the stove pipe today because it just wasn't burning right.  No wonder. It was VERY clogged!  It helps to do maintenance once in awhile LOL It has a cap on the bottom that you take off to get the soot out but I couldn't get it loose so I had to have a neighbor stop by and take it off for me.  Messy job! My stove is burning so nicely now though!  I have a new favorite brand of pellets. They are Hot Shot. They burn so much cleaner and completely than the ones I used previously.  AND, they are $50 less per ton. That's one of the few times I prefer something that's less expensive!

Today I'm thankful for:

"Sisters"



Pellet Stoves

Have an absolutely awesome day!

Today I'm Thankful For. . . .

A friend who had a business in heating & cooling, came over today to check out my cold, cold furnace. He brought his meter to find out just what the problem was.  Guess what!! Not a thing! It must have been a loose connection of some sort and when he jostled wires it reconnected. I don't know and I don't care.  I have heat again and the best part is it didn't cost a thing. I've been without a furnace for over a month. The high here today was 26*! Now, before you wonder just HOW I was able to survive I'll confess that I do have a pellet stove. I was living in a very small space and venturing to the back of the house (bathroom) only when it became desperate!

Praise the Lord for helpful friends!!  And, Thank You for heat!

This is what i saw when I peeked out Saturday morning, a real Winter Wonderland! It's frozen fog, not snow, but it's still beautiful.

And here is a little fabric Christmas card for my older granddaughter in TX







Nothing fancy yet, I'm still a novice at this but I think a five year old will like it.

I have her brother's and her two cousins in various stages. I'll post them when they are finished.  AND, I just need to put the ties and neck strap on my tea towel apron, then I can unveil it.  So I have been trying to keep busy while it wasn't too cold in here!

Have an awesome day!
And don't forget to be thankful for SOMETHING!

Preview Is A Good Thing

Had I taken the time to preview the last post I would have noticed I was referring to a Turtorial LOL I seriously doubt I will post again without previewing it first!

My apron is almost done. I want to use some jumbo rick rack that is just the right color. It is about 6" too short. So I think what I'll do is decide just where I want some additional trim, cut the rick rack and put it on either side. If I do it right I don't think it will be too noticeable.  A friend suggested yo-yo flowers. That would be cute.

A family situation was resolved today favorably so I worried all day for nothing. Why, at my age, do I feel that my worrying will change the outcome?  I could have been much more relaxed all day and I'm sure my arteries would have appreciated it!  Somewhere, probably on a cassette, I have that old (now) song about "Don't Worry, Be Happy." Days like this I need to have it on a constant loop in the background LOL

So. My gratitude for today is that situations will work out the way they are supposed to and I need to just quit worrying about everything.

Have an awesome day! And. . . . don't worry, be happy!

Tomorrow is going to be a long day so I'm going to watch a little TV and turn in for the night. I am really tired, probably from all the worrying!

PS to Apron Turtorial

I flipped through her catalog to find the size of the fabric used for the trim and ruffle. It's 18"x27", a little wider that a FQ (fat quarter). Stampin'Up sells a bundle of 3 for around $10. Time for Stash Shopping!

The day is going fine so far.  I just can't believe how intelligent our Border Collie is. We have fencing and a gate that prevents her from going up to our shop. Earlier, I took her out and opened the gate, told her to go up and eat her breakfast. Mind you, I've never done this before. She watched until I was safely back in the house then went up and ate. The next time I looked out she was sitting patiently by the gate, waiting for me to open it and let her back in the house. Are ALL BCs this smart? (not allowing Skidboot in to the competition LOL I'm not too sure but what she could have been a challenge to him when she was younger!) She will herd chickens on her own but I have better luck getting them out of my yard with my Mini Doxie!

Have a Great Day!

I just discovered a blog with the neatest little things you can make from all those scraps--pattern weights.  You can see them here . I've always thought of pattern weights as oversized washers, ugly but practical, these bring pretty into the picture also.  You could make them to coordinate with you sewing space, what fun! Why didn't I have thse years ago when I was sewing clothes with tissue patterns? Oh, well, I soon will have a few to add to the clutter collection in my tiny sewing room.

Here's another practical item, a tea towel apron video right here . I don't know about you but when I cook I always have a towel handy. . . . somewhere, in the way, on the counter, with one of these the towel will always be right where I need it. My only problem has been trying to find the width of towel she uses. I searched the internet, and found some really cute ones, in France! I just can't justify spending that kind of precious money on an apron LOL So my apron will have a seam in it, no big deal, this is a working apron, not one to wear when welcoming guests! And, since I don't have a die cutter I'm just going stash busting and finding something I have to make ruffles from. Just get resourceful and you can come up with something! I have a towel sitting near my sewing machine at this moment waiting for me to recreate it into something even more useful

Today I'm grateful that it is December 1, not very cold considering what it can be here, and there is NONE of that white stuff on the ground.  What are you grateful for today?

Oh, can I have two gratefuls today? I'm also grateful for my very best friend.  We've managed to weather everything life has thrown our ways and still be friends. We are miles apart right now but she still will change her plans when I need her. I just wanted to  tell the world you are the greatest!

Have an absolutely awesome day as you rush around getting ready for Christmas