HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I want to wish all my blogging friends a very Happy New Year!

I just read my goals that I posted for 2011 and updated them.  

Missed a few but had a fun year sewing so that's okay!

Maybe 2012 will be a better year for FINISHING ALL THOSE UFO's!

Wishing you all good health, happiness and good fortune!

Colleen

The Happy and the Sad!

I hope everyone enjoyed the Holiday Weekend with family, friends and loved ones alike!

We had a amazing weekend and a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!
All of the children were here on Christmas Eve for dinner and my Grandson's Birthday Celebration.

I made him a cake with lots of sprinkles ~ his favorite.  As you can see, he turned 4 years old this year!  I had only purchased one round 8" pan as of this day because I am using my coupons to buy them at a discount, so not knowing what to do about the top layer and running out of time I grabbed my Christmas Tree pan and made 6 little trees that we put in a circle on top.  It really was cute and absolutely delicious too!

The next day my son and his new wife were at her family for the day and we missed them but had an awesome day.  My little guy had a ball opening ALL the gifts ~ such a good helper!
Santa's little helper...

Yes, you do see a broken arm here in this photo.  My little guy fell and broke his arm on his birthday.  Kids a so resilient ~ that cast didn't bother him one bit!

After opening gifts he decorated Christmas Tree Cookies...

And tested them...

They were yummy!

We had a wonderful day filled with lots of playing and delicious food!

Now, here's the sad part...this little guy and his parents left Monday morning about 7am and moved to Idaho.

I thought my heart stopped beating ~ it did!  Really, couldn't breathe my chest was so heavy.

I cried most of the day.  They have to live their lives and follow their dreams and I know that but I am still so sad that they are going to be so far away (more than the usual day trip for sure)!

I WILL MISS THEM ALL!

Today, back to work and settling into the regular routine ~ SEWING!
Have a wonderful day!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Wishing all a very Blessed and Merry Christmas!  I will be enjoying the day with my Family!

What? 11 Days Until Christmas?

For me that means 11 days to get ready for Christmas.  

This year my one true goal is to enjoy Christmas and this beautiful season of joy and happiness.

So, with a lot of things to get done and with me moving and doing as fast as I can I promise to also enjoy what I am doing.  If it all gets done ~ GREAT ~ if it doesn't all get done ~ GREAT!

For me it is also 10 days until I see my precious grandson!  Now, that is really a joyful thing too!

So, as I continue my journey to Christmas Day I continue to slowly clean and decorate the house and to make the gifts I can finish in time without stress!

Yesterday I cleaned and decorated a little more and then I worked on this gift for my Manicurist.

Yes folks, I have one big indulgence and that is to have my nails done every two weeks ~ today is appointment day.  Here is her gift (she just loves hand made gifts).

 Once again I apologize for the crooked photo!

It came out really cute and I think she will really like this one.

After nails I go to lunch with a friend, it is a relaxing and fun afternoon for me.

I also stitched this little design on a flour sack towel.  I think I will give this to my daughter and make two more...one for me and one for my daughter-in-law.  It is so cute but I don't know what happened in that little circle area...my solution ~ will be putting a cute star button there!

Tonight it will be time for more stitching!  Fun and relaxing!

Have a wonderful sew-full day!

Colleen

Yup, two posts in one day!

I have to add another post today because yesterday was such an exciting day for me.

MY SWAP QUILT ARRIVED FROM MY SWAP PARTNER!

Remember two posts ago I showed you this photo of the swap quilt and goodies I sent off to my Small Quilt Swap Partner?

Well, here's what Judy sent to me!  

Isn't it great.  I was truly pleased with it all!  The card is beautiful, the vintage fabric ~ amazing, and the little mouse is just too cute for words.  BUT, that little quilt in the background!  WOW.  And can you see it?  What are the chances that we would both use a friendship star pattern for our swap quilts?

Look at this gorgeous little quilt Judy sent to me.

Here is a shot of the back...

And a close up shot ~ yes, it is hand quilted too!

I am tickled pink!!!  Thank you so much to my new friend Judy, you are amazing!

That was not all for yesterday.  I also received my first issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects Magazine.  I had to subscribe because I liked every project I saw that people made from previous issues.  So, now I can drool over every photo of every project and make (or not) whatever I want!

In addition to all this, I signed up for my first ever Block of the Month.  I will be doing the 2012 Thimbleberries Pattern Party BOM.  I must admit that I have taught 2 BOM's but have never been a participant in a BOM.  Cannot wait.  One of the ladies at work talked me into it; she is doing it too.

What an exciting day I had!  I really love the quilt from Judy and all the goodies that came along with it.  I will do another swap with that group of ladies, it was so much fun and I had the best swap partner!

Happy Stitching!
Colleen
PS:  Photos are a good thing.  I did notice that I attached the bottom border on my daughter's little twister (photo in previous post) the wrong way and now I will un-sew it and put it on correctly before I quilt it!

Sewing...sewing...sewing!

I had the best day on Sunday sewing with my gal pals (and a lot of laughter ~ we seam to laugh a lot)!

It was also very productive and I continued to sew into the evening after I got home.

Look at what I accomplished on Sunday!

This runner is for a class I will be teaching at the shop in January.  I started the binding on it yesterday.  Now, a few weeks ago I purchased an Ott Floor Lamp and finally used it last night to sit in my comfy chair and work on the binding.  The light is great!  Good purchase.  I had saved a few dollars here and there so I could get the lamp I wanted; it was purchased with a 60% off special coupon and well worth it!

I love this little Primitive Gatherings pattern that uses the Itty Bitty Twister Tool.  Changed the pattern a little and added this wide border.  Not quilted yet because I am trying to decide if I want to quilt it or frame it ~ any thoughts out there in bloggerville?

This was just a small little center twister piece so I added the outside borders.  I had used some scraps for a demo in a Little Twister class I taught earlier this year.  My daughter saw it and really liked it and really wanted it ~ sew now it is going to be a gift for her for Christmas.  I need to get this quilted today or tomorrow so I can get the binding on it.

Still more sewing to do ~ and these little fingers are moving as fast as they can!

Colleen

Getting things done!

I'm so excited because I finished my little Swap Quilt and mailed it off today to my swap partner!
I hope she likes it.

Along with the quilt I am sending a few little gifty things...

a Holiday Note Pad, a tissue packet holder that I made and it has the cutest little monogrammed tissues inside just for her, and a really nice pin.

Here are the goodies all wrapped and ready for the mail envelope.

I sure hope she likes everything!
Now...the anticipation starts for me because she mailed mine to me today also!
I will be checking the mail everyday!

Since I've gotten this done it is time to put up the Christmas Tree and some other decorations.

The outside trees fell last night because it was so very windy so I was out there when I got home from the post office tying them down so they shouldn't fall again. :)

Happy Stitching all!
Colleen

December Already!

Time really is flying.  I cannot believe that December has arrived and Christmas is just around the corner.

What I really need to do is some decorating!  This weekend...this weekend for sure!

I have been busy working on a lot of gifts and projects and still have many to do.

I joined a Small Quilt Swap and have been working on the quilt for that.

Today was quilting day and of course, I didn't finish it...tomorrow it will be done and then I can bind it Saturday night and mail it to my swap partner on Monday (the deadline for mailing is Dec. 10th so I am ahead of schedule)!

The fabrics were all in my Civil War stash and scrap bin.  I really like the pinks and browns together.  I have been wanting to make one.

I must be honest about this...when I started cutting the fabric for this I liked it so much I cut enough to make two!  Sew ~ this quilt will have a twin quilt.  They will not be identical in layout but they will be made with all the same fabrics!  The size is 18"X24", a wonderful doll quilt.

It actually didn't take much time to cut 2 out at once and I think it is something I will consider in the future to save time.

The pattern is just one I played with and came up with on EQ.  I am sure it is inspired from somewhere or someone but I look at so many quilts on line, in magazines and books that it could be similar to something I saw.  I am sure she will like it, at least I hope she does.

Well, back to the sewing room...

Happy Stitching!
Colleen