Thank You Gifts

I was so happy to receive these hostess gifts over the holidays. Just look at that lovely fabric. I think it’s all Civil War reprints. Wonderful fat quarters to add to my collection. … And the beautiful candy dish is another favorite. It’s not hard to find sweets to fill it up.

My friends and family have blessed me abundantly. The note makes me smile and smile until my head spins.

This & That

I’m still sewing away on my Orca Bay mystery quilt. I’m about to finish up the Ohio Stars. One thing I changed from the original directions was to make the black blocks with blue centers instead of red centers. Since the finished quilt has been revealed I thought maybe a blue center would help bring out a diagonal look a little more.

My sister Polly & I talked about swaping the dark Ohio Stars with the light Ohio Stars in the final layout. Can you see the difference it makes?

We had a lot of activity at our house over the holidays. The young people had fun singing around the piano & guitar.

Laura came to teach kindergarten for our church school. She is boarding with us and graces us with lovely music often.

My sister Coleen swinging with Ashton. “Put your right foot in, put your right foot out …. and shake it all about …”

I have thoroughly enjoyed watching these two friends develop a close relationship.

Two Katie Jo(s) at our house at one time. One a Schrock and the other a Clugston.

Jason & Karla Schrock, Katie Jo, & Lia along with Audrey & Krisi Dickerson.

Neil & Shelly Clugston with Katie Jo.

Amy & Ashton check out a deer that Paul shot.

Ashton helps Grampa fix his crib into a toddler bed.

Coleen & Claire Bleu

When my sister Coleen and her daughter Claire Bleu had a ride to Mississippi they jumped at the chance to come for 2 days and sew with me.

Claire is making 2 dresses.

Coleen is working on a quilt, getting it ready for our sewing retreat in January.

 

 Claire worked hard with my EQ7 program to get the placement of the value of the fabrics and width of the strips just the right size.

She helped pick out and fine tune the fabric palette.

 These are the rejected fabrics.

Family Christmas & Orca Bay Mystery

Yesterday we had our family in for lunch. All our our grands were here.

We opened our gifts in the afternoon.

McDonalds was a great hit!

Even the adults enjoyed the children's play toys!

Aunt Evie holds teeny, tiny, Tina for the first time.

Here's Paul showing my wonderfully whimsical quilt from Laura Wasiloski. If you haven't read the story behind this quilt you may do so here.

We fixed pizza for supper and had Angie's family, the Greg Martins join us.

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Orca Bay

I got a few more stringed triangles done on my Orca Bay Mystery Quilt. After trying out 2 different techniques of sewing the strings I resorted back to Bonnie's telephone book pages for foundations. It's working great for me. I also got my 56 red squares cut out for the centers of the Ohio Stars. Maybe this week I'll have more time to sew!

Merry Christmas

1Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

 2Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. --Matthew 2:1-2

We want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas as we celebrate the birth of the one true Lord, Jesus Christ.