Family Matters

This past week is exactly that "Family Matters"

Christmas Day is always a little sad for me as my daughter's other family, Husbands, has always gotten together for Christmas. So after they were married we started having our Christmas on the 26th.

This year we were fortunate, due to some family changes on my daughter-in-laws family they came East instead of her Mother going to Colorado. So it was a win win situation. I told my son when he said they were coming to be sure and save the 26th for us.

They were the first to arrive. Son, Daughter-in-law and Sara, 16 and Chris, almost 14.

They at least helped get the table ready. We would be 12 altogether. The kids set it and then Daughter and her family arrived. Hubby and kids, Joe, 21, Ashley, 19, Angela, 18 and Dan, almost 14. The three older are in college.

I said before they came they were going to help. and they did. This is a picture of all the kids acting up in the kitchen before dinner. They did this for some reason. I came out to my porch and got my camera. We called Joe to come get in also. So this is the group.

The first two on the left at DS's from Colorado. Chris is the one I showed a picture of a couple months ago that got his very blond hair dyed purple. At least now it is a deep blond.
The other 4 are my DDs. Great kids really

This is the three girls doing the dishes after dinner. They had quite a routine set up. Ashley was washing , Angela, drying and Sara put them away and they were done in no time..You can see how the big window opening over the sink looks out to my sewing porch

Since this was the first time that all the family had been together in my home, the other time had been at the beach. I was sure to get some pictures. I had asked my neighbor to come over and snap with my camera.

So here we are. Hubby in his chair and me with the bare feet. The two boys on either side. They are only 2 days apart in age. and Chris has finally caught up to Dan.
DS is in back with the dark beard and Jeanne and Sara. Then in the red is DD and her hubby with the white beard. and the rest of them.

Hard to tell when we will ever get together again. Sara will be going off to college in the fall to Northern Co. University at Greeley.

Joe the oldest GS will graduate from Salisbury University this spring.
Ashley is in her sophomore year at University of the Arts in, Phila. and Angela is a Freshman at University of Western Florida in Pensacola.

They all went home that night except DS. He said he'd stay overnight if I could take him back to Fairfax, and his MILs home on Thurs.

So this past week has been very busy. But what a wonderful time. The kids all get along so good together.

Family is very special and so are all my online friends and bloggers. I love to hear from you all.

Happy new Year.!!!

One down and one to go

Boy am I behind, This week has gone so fast and It has been so much fun. Before the family came on Wed. I finished up quilting this baby quilt for my Great, great niece in Colorado. It is one of the Cover Story printed tops that Thimbleberry came out with this fall. I just thought it would make a cute gift and could be used or hung. I know her grandmother is making her a quilt but it might be awhile till it is done.

I've had it quilted but the sections around the stars and above the soldiers needed some meandering and I hadn't gotten to do that yet. Scared really. I'm new to machine quilting. So finally went for it. Isn't the best but will be OK. So this is for Samile.

This next is a runner in progress. These are the leftover blocks from the quilt my great niece, Samile's Mother Briana made and I quilted it for her this summer. She had sent everything with it. I used some of the extra blocks for pillowcases for her but thought these would make a neat runner for her dresser. Then what to do. This is what I came up with. remembering how neat the braid looked that Kim made.

Then I didn't know whether to put on another border or not. Here's the rest of the binding laid around it.
It's about 3 inches wide and I think distracts to much. So think I'll just bind it with that. Pin and quilt as it is. What do you all think? Any suggestions?

Tomorrow I hope to talk a little about our Christmas. Have pictures
of my whole family. The first that they have all been here together and might be the last time. So see you tomorrow.

OH, I almost forgot

I said I would give a pattern to someone who would like the Minutures. Only had one ask for it and it way past Christmas so Kathy, you know who you are, send me your address privately and I will send it right out.

Kairle, winning the basket from Red Geranium reminded me. I'm so ingrossed in finishing a mystery quilt for our TB group that I never gave it a thought. Thanks, Pat E for reminding me, and I will need to get your Strips to you also.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Wanted to wish each one of my blogger friends Very Merry Christmas and enjoy the time with your family.

Today you are all my family since we will have our Christmas tomorrow when My DD with her 4 and hubby comes and my DS and his two and wife come for our Christmas together. Might be the last time for awhile since, the oldest Grandson will be graduating from Salisbury State this spring and the two girls are both in college. My Sons oldest will go next year in Colorado. So it will be hard to get them all together.

I have a busy day today getting food ready for tomorrow. The Turkey is thawing in the fridge. but I need to steam and peel about 6 pounds of Shrimp today. They will nibble on those till dinner is ready.

This will be like being at the beach which we did for about 10 years starting when the little boys were about 6 months old. They were born 2 days apart but half the nation apart.

No pictures today. Kim didn't get the last one I sent uploaded but that will be something for Thurs.

Hope Santa brought everyone JUST what you wanted.

Greetings from Maryland where the BIG FULL MOON is shinning in my window.

Finished projects

Here's the finished snowman runner. This is the best place for a picture it is so long. My 6 foot island still isn't long enough. I have this finished and want to take it to my neighbor today as I don't know if they will have family coming for Christmas Day.

Isn't this cute. I sure hope she appreciates snowmen.

This is a closeup of the end. You can see the quilting I did. By hand of course.

I called over this afternoon and they were both home so went over with my package. Hadn't been in the house since right after they moved in. What a surprise. Snowmen everywhere. She has this long table which I thought this runner would fit on perfectly. She had a runner with snowmen. Her big tree was snowmen. So I told her to open it.. I knew then that she was going to like this gift I had worked on for about a month. Makes one feel so good that it's Christmas

The center star.
After I finished the snowmen I decided to make another Candle Mat Wanted to give one to my DDILs Mother and her Aunt.

So found this bit of last years Christmas fabric and figured it would show up so much better than the first one I made, So easy and what great little gifts.

My Son and daughter-in-law and 2 grandchildren from Colorado are here now in Fairfax staying with her Mother. They will be up along with my daughter and her family for the day after Christmas. Will be the first time we have all been together for several years. Might be the last as GS#1 will be graduating College this year. 2 GDs are in college now and one more will go next year so as they get older and away from home it is hard to get them all together.

Hope one and all has a very Happy Holiday season and thanks for stopping by.

. . . . .

Quilts Around the House

Here are some more of the quilts I have around the house. These are three quilts I made several years ago which are miniatures put into a larger quilt. They are all designs by Elizabeth Carlson from Gaithersburg,Md. in 1994. Guess it was a long time ago.

I took a class from her for the first one to learn about making Minatures. Ended up making all three of her patterns. This was the last one I made. It hangs in the large basement room we have fixed up for the grandchildren when they visit and also has the furniture that we wanted to keep so was room down here. The walls are paneled so needed something on them.

This is over a small book shelf that has my old singer protable on it.

This is a closeup of one of the blocks with a lot of individual blocks. like the baskets and a trees. This was a block I substituted for a Texas Star block which I had made in one of the other quilts. It is probably about 8 inches altogether. This was the last one I made.

This one hangs over the single bed that is a match to my bed. upstairs. They were from My husbands grandparents home and were considered a Mr. and Mrs. beds. Old spool type.

This is a closeup of the Texas star block. You can also see some of the hand quilting I did on this quilt.

This is the block of little houses all in a row. This was the second of the quilts.

This is the first one I made and hangs at the bottom of the stairs so the funny angle of the picture.
Had to take it from the steps.

If I remember right this is called Bee Hive and it was a dozy to make. Nine patch with those little bees coming out which were all individually appliqued on. Was glad to get that block done.

Now to get on with Christmas gifts. Am trying to get the Snowman runner quilted.

Thanks for looking at some of my older quilts.

Candle Mat

At the TB club meeting last week the store owner showed us this cute candle mat and of course had some kits made up. It uses 2.0 in. Thangles and the pattern comes with the package of Thangles. I've never used them so decided to buy one. It consisted of 3 FQs and the batting and package of Thangles for $15. Not that big an outlay of money. The one I picked had this cute Snowman on the larger print, a light and then another smaller blue print.

I made the mistake of using this cute snowman print for the top. The print got cut up to much and the design doesn't show up as it should. The other print I used for the backing. As you can see it consists of HST and squares and rectangles. Easy to make. In fact I think if I hadn't been trying so hard to get the snowmen on the outside pieces it would have been faster.

Then with the other FQ as the backing you sandwich and turn like a pillow case. whip the opening and quilt. All in all it took me about 3 hours. I did simple quilting 1/4 in all around. This one I think was the picture I took before I quilted it.

This one has been quilted. I can't see it as I type this but when you click on it you probably can.

What a neat , fast little gift. All you need is the package of 2 inch Thangles and hopefully the pattern is in it. Need a quick gift. Good to use up some stash.

I had a someone inquire about the patterns of the miniature quilts I had on the last post. I will give one of my patterns to someone who comments on that post before Christmas Day. You will have to ask for the pattern. If i get more than one I will draw a name from the list.

Merry Christmas all

Christmas is here

Yesterday there was a knock on my door and when I went there was a package. The mail lady had left me a package from California, Guess who sent it? Yep, Kim.

Well, I can't wait until Christmas to open it so open I did and this is what I had.

Not the African violet, It's on the window sill. But see the cute little card. It says BELIEVE.

She made me a journal with a bird in a frame and all kinds of cute things on it.

See that orange squirrel on the window sill above it. That is the only thing I got from my Grandmother. It is one of those German cream pitchers very popular at the turn of the last century.

Here's a better picture of the Journal. It has a braided twine to hold it together.
The song on the corner is about a log cabin, I've been making the Kentucky log cabin quilt. She has a "e" on the top right corner for my name.
A cute little sign that says " If you truly love nature, you will find BEAUTY everywhere." How true. A bluebird flying and a cute little flower.

This is the inside of the cover. She has a nice little note there as to what I am suppose to do with it. Write in it of course. The paper is sort of soft and like parchment.

She also sent me 4 little ceramic bird ornaments that I promptly but on my little tree. Then for a treat a box of Chocolate Graham Crackers. YUMMM

What a nice Christmas gift from a wonderful friend. Tha
nks again Kim.

Quilts Around the House

Kathy, the other day, said she would like to see how others used quilts in their homes. So I took a few pictures for a start. Not only do I have quilts I have loads of needlepoint that I was into in the 1970's. Had to go to something else. LOL

four years ago we sold our home that we had built in 63 and moved down the hill into one built the year after ours by the same contractor. It is native stone. The gentleman that lived here for 30 years by himself died and we were able to get it. The main thing I was after was that screened in porch to make into a quilting room.

Any way we had to do a lot of work. Entire new kitchen, dinning area. Had a great cabinetmaker, former student of my DH's and He did all the work. Great cabinets and I had to fight with DH to have my washer dryer in the kitchen


Here it is and there was this strip above under the cabinets that needed something. First I made a runner with flowers that I use in the spring- summer. This was made with some swap blocks and is great for the winter. I have it put up with push pins now but am going to put some velcro on the back. That's what Kim does for the ones over her bed that she changes out



This is on the wall of the dinning area. I had these needlepoint bird pictures so when I first got into Thimbleberries, I saw the birdhouse pattern. Think it works well.


On the wall next to it and going into the living room is this old Oak bookcase that we use for glass. Last year when the gals had a retreat in Utah with Kairle , Kim made up these kits of pumpkins and apples and feeling sorry that a couple of us couldn't come sent them to us. So after I made them had to find some
place to put them. This vacant spot on either side of that very special lamp.


This is an extra special quilt which Kim sent me this year for my birthday. Isn't she special? It just had to go over my bed. It is an applique and I had said I really liked it. Sure didn't think she would give it to me. She is one special lady.

Thank You again Kim. for everything

Christmas Decorations Are Up

Finally got to changing the room around and getting the tree up. This table usually has a two drawer Spool cabinet which is now under the table on the floor and an old lamp that we use as a night light. Then a good bit of glass as we were collectors. I say were as we did sell a good bit before we moved into this smaller home.




This is a 4 ft. artificial which I went to several years ago as just being easier. You can see I have most of the old ornaments and the new skirt.
The stained glass angel was given to me several years ago by an old friend that we met in College and he ended up as the Father-in - law of my niece who came back to the same college that my DH and many other family members graduated from and found their mates.
He took up stained glass work after he retired from the ministry. I like it. Usually sits in one of my windows.


This is another view showing the other old sleighs that I have collected over the years. The small ones are considered salts. On the mantle I have the Vaseline one that belonged to my Mother-in-law.
You can also see the Feed Sack quilt which I'm quilting. This is where it sits on the chair next to my lounge chair so I can easily get it.

See how bare it looks outside now


This shows my fireplace and mantle. It is the same stone as the outside of the house


Here's a closeup of the left side. A couple of the deer with the old trees and at the end between a pair of candles, the red bulb tree I talked about in an earlier blog.


This is the right side with the sleigh and old Santa and a few wrapped gifts and the deer pulling. My DMIL
always set up a little display like this on her coffee table. I've added a larger angel at the end.
My stocking from our exchange last year on the TB Yahoo group.

The picture is an oll painting of Burnside bridge which was a big battle during the Civil War down outside of Sharpsburg.

My DD got it at a silent auction at their church a couple years ago. One of the ladies had donated it. Sits right there on top of the fireplace door.

So Now I have packages wrapped and am ready for Christmas, Except getting some little thing for each of the Grandchildren to open for their Christmas besides the money we give them.
Hope you are all getting close to finished.

Thanks for stopping by and looking at my living room ready for Christmas Day.

The Weather Outside is Frightful . . .

Yes, with a low last night of 8 degrees and about 5 inches of snow. But look what I got finished. This is the main body of the Kentucky Log Cabin by Judy Martin.

Now on to the borders. Have to cut more strips of lights and darks to make the inside border. Then a whole lot of 2 in. squares in asst. darks for the outside.

Here's my view yesterday about midday while it was snowing. These are the two new houses that were built in my backyard a couple years ago. The one on the left is a nice log cabin BUT they put a red roof on it. Horrible. At least now the snow covers that part, for a bit. This was taken from my little porch outside the enclosed porch

This is the lower drive going up to the garage. I keep a spot like this cleared off for seed for the ground feeders. Mainly the Junco's and dove's. Wasn't too long after I took this that it was covered with birds and then more snow. I still had to clean the final inch of snow off this morning.

Then finally was able to get the flash to work with the background of the snow outside. My little tree all decorated with the tiny metal sleigh and soldier keeping watch beneath.

Schools are all closed today and I don't know if I'll get out to my beauty parlor or not. That ice has to melt a lot on the road first. Sun is shinning bright and it's clear up to 15. A heat wave.

Hope everyone has a great day and lots of quilting.

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW

Slept late this morning, I guess my body knew I wasn't going any place. Today is my day out but--

Got up and the road was white and since we have quite a hill to go down I wasn't going . It has been beautiful all day. Mid 20's but when I cleaned off the short drive that we have , after the snow plow came through and pushed more leaves than snow over the drive. It still started to get white.

Been fun watching the birds fight for the suet, sunflower seeds and the millet I put on the lower drive for the ground feeders. They know something.

So I decided it was a good time to make those Cinnamon almonds that Kairle had given the recipe for last week in her blog. I'd gotten two pound bags of almonds when I was grocery shopping.

Course the Hubby wanted to know what I was making when he heard the mixer going. He doesn't really like nuts anymore because of his teeth. Terrible to get old.

Oh, these are so simple and GOOD, I like to have a little dish of nuts here by me when I read or am quilting. Better than chocolate to me.

So try them. I know they would make great little gifts.

Tomorrow I'll have a couple snow pictures for you and something else Just need Kim to upload them.

Vintage Glass Ornaments

Silver bells, and red and gold These acturally ring

Seems that I sort of messed up yesterday. Here I see that Kim had put these pictures into two different posts and I didn't notice.

.I wanted to show you some of the old ornaments that I have from my Husbands home.

See this is a whole box of 12 ornaments, different colors. I'm sure they bought these at the wholesale house. Notice the odd hanger. Those you pinched to hook on the tree. The one on the left has most of the color gone now.

Here's another box. Red and green. This box had the price $1.25 box

Now this is a box of big ones. Unfortunately the one eye on the left is gone. Box marked made in Germany which most of these were at this time.

These are the ones I really love. A Santa, The clown, have several different colors, And a different Santa. I usually try to put one of each on the tree. But since I have a small artificial 4 ft. tree which I put on the drop leaf table in the living room there isn't too much space

Another picture of the clowns and Santa's and the box that the live in.

More later

Christmas Memories

Here's a few of the ornaments that I have from my husbands home. His Father and Mother had a Country store that they had built before they married in about 1918. My Father-in-Law built the store first while my Mother-in-Law taught school as long as she could as at that time they didn't allow a teacher to be married.
How times have changed.

Then he built an ajoining store
They evidently had bought boxes or ornaments by the dozen. As we still have some of the badly beaten up boxes.


This is a pair of small peaches like ornaments. Later I have some pictures for Kim to post of others.
On one box it said 10cents ea.


This is the very first angel I bought at the dime store. I had the box for most of the time and think I had paid about $1.25 for it on sale.
Used it up until last year when I bought a new one. This has several lights on it and my daughter asked where it was.



This is a picture of a couple of the old trees, a celluloid

Santa and a couple of the reindeer that my Mother-in-Law always had out. Later I'll show you what I do with them when I decorate. Also another of the old ornaments



Here I have made a Christmas tree out of bulbs put onto a knitting needle I learned to make this in1949 Christmas the very first year I was married. I used to have a small ornament for the top but it got broken

What things we don't remember about thinking back over the years. More will come as I get the Christmas tree out.

I had also sent a picture of the little tree on my porch after I finished decorating it but Kim didn't put that in. Maybe she didn't think it showed up enough, Maybe later.

We at least got missed by this first snow storm in the east. Instead had almost an inch of rain.

Have a great day.

Oh Little Tree, Oh Little Tree . . .

. . . . .Kim just made me go to Michael's on Wednesday and look what I ended up with. This cute little tree to put on top of this little chest that my good friend Patricia from Kentucky sent me for Christmas a few years back. It fits nicely on the windowsill of one of my windows. In one drawer I have a small collection of thimbles. and the other drawers just some other treasures.

This was the only place that I figured was good to put a little tree out here. The tiny ornaments that I got with the tree skirt exchange are on it along with a couple things I found along with the tree. They had a lot of decorations for these tiny trees.

The card on the window sill beside it is what came with the tree skirt also.
On the narrow wall between the windows I have several mini quilts that I have made.

Hopefully I can get another good picture of the final decorated tree.
This chest is 9 inches tall and the tree about 14 inches.

As you can see out the window over the weekend with all the wind blowing the leaves are almost all gone. Well they have settled along the front of the house so that the azalea's are covered. Protected now from the snows that will follow.

At least at night now we can see the lights of Boonsboro and far away the rest of the valley.

I am almost finished with my log cabin blocks so as soon as I can get another 7 blocks made for the last row I will get a picture. Have the 8 completed rows sewn in strips so am on the way. Then will come the two different borders which will also be strips and then small squares on the very outside.

Back to piecing and other necessary things to do in my household. Need to get to the library this afternoon for more paperback westerns for my husband to read. This is his entertainment besides watching the oldies on TV and Animal Planet. His favorite.

At least I'm not sending you off to play games like Kim. Personally I like the solitaire on Ace Games. This I can get easily on my MSNTV2.

Everyone have a great day this last day of November.

Look what I got

Yesterday I heard a tap on the door and went to see who was there. No one but opening the door and looking down I saw this package and then out on the road with my mail Lady's red car, and with a wave, just like Santa, she left. Well, I had to go out and get the rest of the mail

I knew what it was and looked to see who it was from. Goodie, Jackie way up in Calgary, Canada. She was my secret Hollow sister for the season.

I know Kim has mentioned working on hers and I also said a little about making some ornaments and the coasters. They were for mine.

I had to get this opened and this is what I saw.


The card was in an envelope of course. It is so cute, a Jim Shore but the rest was just like this. All this silver - gold paper squished in around it.

See we were to make a minature tree skirt. Just what I needed for the little artificial tree that I put up now, or will a little later.

There was this triangular box which I presumed might be chocolates. Yes, Hedgehogs, So good.

But there was also three packages wrapped in FQ. Different blues, TB of course. She knows I like blue.


This shows the skirt all opened up with the three packages. wrapped with a big white ribbon.

Isn't this adorable. The ruffle like ruching around the outside is so different. She did a marvelous job. I love it Jackie. and she said she was a little intimidated when she got my name. I certainly don't know why.

I must say a little about Jackie. She , her hubby and sister, who lives in Toronto where at the Thimbleberries retreat two years ago when I went so I have met her. She and I are the senior members of this group but I think I have her by about 10 years.

Opening up the little packages I found three tiny Jim Shore ornaments. So cute.

This isn't a very good picture. But these are the Rooster, a book, and a bird ornaments. Also shows the quilting Jackie did.

This was such a fun swap. We try to do something like this each year. Great remembrances of our true friends.

Winter has really come to Western Maryland. Down in the 20's last night. Was 30 degrees when I went to Curves this morning. The wind has taken almost all the leaves off. Just keep on blowing them away.

This morning at 6 when I came out it was like daylight. The full moon shinning in my window. Beautiful start to a wonderful day.

Now back to quilting on my Snowman runner as it's a Christmas gift. I like to have things done early.

I sure wouldn't get up and go shopping at 4 in the morning like a whole lot of people did yesterday.

Also not into decorating like some other people I know. Getting too old.

Hope everyone has a great weekend to finish off this holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving All

My family has all left and I am tired. But what a wonderful time we had. The two Grandkids home from College were so nice to talk to. My oldest Grandson will graduate in the Spring and is planning to continue his job of cooking at a local country club where he has worked since high school. He has worked himself up to be chief cook and really likes this. We all said he should have gone to Culinary School but he says he knows more about cooking than the fellow who works there that graduated from one.

Anyway I was looking though some of my old quilts and ran across this feedsack sampler that I had forgotten about. Thought you might like to see it.

The blocks were a swap where we sent a small square of fabric to be used in the block and it was to be feedsack. This was on a 30's group.
I love that I got the two sunbonnet Sue and Sam.

Here's a closeup of the center part with the Sunbonnets. As you see I do like blue.

I saw this in the grocery store the other day and thought I should have a red one also. It is loaded with blossoms and is just starting to open.. To our Canadian friends, Thank you for growing such lovely flowers. I think the last African violet I bought was grown in Canada.

Now here is the new lamp I bought yesterday. It is wonderful and in case you're wondering about the Dalmatian hanging from it. Well. all quilters either have a cat or a dog. This is mine. We would love a cat or dog but with DH not being stead on his feet any animal would be more of a threat that a friend.


Then I just turned around and took this picture of the rest of the porch. That's my keyboard on the little table and the TV is my monitor with the printer underneath. The wall there is really the outside of the house which is native stone. This was a screened in porch that we had enclosed. Then the window over the sink was so high short me couldn't see out of it, so our cabinetmaker knocked out the stone and made the window lower, it is just over the sink and then suggested we leave it open. Sometime men are really wonderful. He did everything I wanted and more. So this is my little world. At the other end is my design board. This space is about 27 x 6 feet wide. But so handy to the kitchen.

Hope everyone had a wonderful day with the family like I did. It was worth getting tired over.