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.

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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.