Let There Be Light? Nope.

Something all of us quilters wish we had more of?  Time, right? I just received an advertisement for a book I just might invest in. It is "Twice as Much in Half the Time - Secrets to Simplifying Your Life," by Amy Jones. Sounds good to me!

I flipped on the light switch here in my computer/sewing room this morning, bight flash then darkness. Both the light bulbs in the fixture I switched on went out, POOF!, just like that. I thought I had some spare bulbs but haven't been able to locate them if I do. Rats! Today was going to be a sewing day. So, I am trying to wait patiently for the new bulbs to arrive with my husband.

Since we all decided that the family was too large to buy gifts for everyone, Christmas isn't nearly as exciting.  Writing checks to the grandchildren that live far away just isn't as much fun!  My mother did get me a gift though, 25 fat quarters and two more books on quilting for my library. She picked up the FQs at a thrift shop but I don't care.  After I got them home though and was removing the labels to wash them, oh my! I'm a non-smoker so the smoke scent really hit me.  I was very disappointed thinking I'd probably end up having to toss them. I took a chance and Googled "How to remove cigarette smoke from fabric."  One suggestion was to use your normal detergent plus Oxy-Clean. We have yellow-ish water so I always use Oxy-Clean.  I did what the site suggested and my fabric came out of the wash just fine.  So there's your handy dandy tip for the day!

We had a white Christmas but then the rain started and most of the snow is gone.  No white New Year!  It's clear and chilly.  11* is the forecast for tonight.

Today I'm Thankful For

My electric furnace
That I have no place else to be
The sunshine earlier this afternoon
That there is a little bit of hauling for my husband
The Internet!

Have a great day!

Long Time MIA

More computer problems have plagued me. This time of my own doing as much as I hate to admit it. I inadvertently turned off a button that allowed my computer to connect to the internet. Hopefully, everything is running ok now.

Then I had some dental work done and was sick for nearly a week. I had flu-like symptoms and was basically camped out on the couch. You know, the kind of sickness where you're afraid you're going to die and afraid you won't! You know I've got to be sick when I don't even feel up to playing on the computer. My head felt better in a prone position! It didn't hurt, just dizziness.

If you are into BOMs the is a neat on here at So Scrappy . It looks like it will be fun and I'm planning to do it with her. And Fat Cat Patterns has a beautiful new BOM starting in January, called Fiesta. I'm hoping that this year I can keep up and actually get them done.

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. We spent the day with friends and our daughter. Tomorrow we will go through the woods and over the river to her house to open gifts. I still have a few gifts to wrap and ought to be doing that. Or I could go clean up my messy kitchen! Nah!

Christmas Thankfulnesses

That Christ came to this earth just for ME
For the beauty around me
For my Little Princess and Little Prince

Winter Is Here !!

I have three months of this to look forward to!  Oh yea ! This is what it looked like here the Tuesday BEFORE Thanksgiving, in other words a week ago.

And it's snowing right now with freezing rain predicted for later today.

It seems that mug rugs, coasters large enough for your mug and goodies, are all the rage in the quilt groups. So I took an orphan block I had,found a piece of fabric for the other side, added an applique, and this is what I have. Oh yes, and a scrap of batting in the center.

I should have made the coffee cup smaller so it only was in the area for the cup but...this was my first one LOL These are fun and fast, hence they meet the requirement for gifts.

I'm still pondering what my daily topics will be in the new year.Maybe one day will be nifty eco-friendly cleaning tips I've learned. Of course at least one day should be devoted to quilty things. One can be miscellaneous musings. Now, what about the other days? I'm thinking!

Hope your Thanksgiving was a wonderful time with loved ones and friends and that your didn't spend too much money during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday madness. I did break down and buy one thing, a new Bobo for Daisy. Bobos are loofah chew toys for dogs. The brand I get just happened to be named Bobo! She's demolished the statue of liberty,and a snowman, so now she's getting a reindeer. Shipping and all it was still less than if I went to the local pet store.

Tuesday Thankfuls

I'm thankful I can stay home today and hibernate

I'm thankful for lights and heat

I'm thankful for the emergency babysitter

I'm thankful for Daisy

I'm thankful for the little birds (and the big ones) that come to my feeder

My spell checker didn't like some of MY words! Oh well, I can make up words if I want to LOL



Miscelleany

It seems I've been gone so long and actually got used to be computerless that it's hard to get back 'in the groove."

It's a chilly day here in Eastern Washington and the forecast calls for colder yet. I'm trying really hard NOT to turn up the thermostat but put on more layers. In fact, they are saying it could snow any time until Tuesday. Oh joy!  I'm trying really hard to be ready for winter. My hoses have been drained and coiled back up, I have my Winter tires on my car. I think the main thing yet to do is wrap the a/cs so the cold doesn't come in around them.

I won't get this new plan into effect until the first of next year I'm sure but my plan calls for blogging more often and having a different topic each day of the week.

Are you a counter? I am, and I am noticing my Little Princess is becoming a counter too. Is that something genetic? If I'm reading her a Bearnstain Book she insists on counting the bears on each and every page! In the process she's actually teaching the Little Prince to count!

Now to something quilt related. Have I mentioned that I found my quilt blocks that have been missing nearly twenty years? I am really excited about that. They are Dresden Plates, enough for a king size quilt, that my grandfather did shortly before he became sick and passed away. In fact, I found one block that doesn't have the center circle done. I was thinking of finding a  scrap that would work, but the more I think about it I think I'll just tidy up the edges and leave it that way. Kind of a tribute to him. Maybe put a few together in a long wall hanging or frame that one. Something so it's not getting washed very often.

I enjoy getting comments, it lets me know someone is actually reading my posts. So please drop me a comment and let me know what is going on in your corner of the world.

Mistletoe Blog Hop

Just a quick note to let you know of a Blog Hop starting today. Stop by Hen and Chicks for all the details. It looks like it will be a fun festive Hop. Lots of recipes and projects to get those creative juices going.

Gotta run. It's a work day.

Have an awesome day!

As Arnold would say, I'm Baaack!

After various computer issues I now have a new computer with Windows 7. So far I would highly reccommend Windows 7. I've found several features that are "Oh, WOW!" I downloaded an accessory pack because it didn't come with Windows Mail and discovered that I can get mail from my different email accounts delivered to one mailbox for instance.

The downside to my newer faster computer? I have discovered that I need to update some of my software. That's a bummer, not to mention added expense. So, for the time-being I can use the internet, send/receive email, and play games!

But I can still quilt LOL. One thing I discovered during this no computer time is that I did get more  sewing and quilting done. I've even rearranged my sewing/computer room and it feels much more spacious now. As much as a 10x14 room can be anyway.

Anyway. I'm glad to be back in cyberland.

Oh, one more thing. The november/December issue of Quiltmaker magazine has an awesome Treasure Hunt. The grand prize is a $2600 Bernina sewing machine! I love my Janome but another machine would be awesome. Who knows, maybe it does machine embroidery! And, of course, there are oodles more prize packages also.

Today I'm thankful for

A warm house (baby it's cold out there!)

My wonderful bed

My sassy little Doxie

Computers and the Internet

Friends and family

Have a GREAT day!

  This site has tons of great info and will be having a grand opening on October 31. With some very nice prizes to be given away!   Learn to Quilt Online

Have a great day everyone!