Happy Heart Day

Today I received a few Valentines - one of them from a cousin I've never actually met in person.  Chris's mom was my Dad's sister.  Her parents are both gone now, and she lives with her sister and brother in law.  It took Facebook to find them.  I'm so glad I did!

I made this card to thank her for the card she made me.  And by the way,  Happy Valentine's Day to you, too.

Twistin' the Day Away

Been seeing a lot of projects done with the Twist (Let's Twist etc) technique, and to be perfectly honest, it boggled my mind!  Just couldn't get into my head how it was done.  So I bought the book and the template and received an invitation to a baby shower - decided, perfect time to learn!
First, you sew blocks together - I raided the pink stash pile since I found out baby is a girl.  I used 10" squares.

Once all the squares were sewn together, I added a 6 1/2 " border all the way around.

Press it well, and then the "fun" begins!

By aligning the cross marks on the template with the intersecting seams, you cut around.
The little feet on the template really make it stick!  Unfortunately, however, they started out being too high for a good cut with my rotary cutter!  I marked with a fine pencil for a while, and had to resort to re-cutting with scissors for about 6 squares...with heavy pressure, over time, it seemed the little feet had given some and by the end, I was getting decent cuts.

This pile is what was left of the quilt top in the third picture -

And this is the end result!
For just a few dollars (most of the fabric I already had - just have to count the batting) I have a shower gift almost ready, and I learned a really fun technique!
The project so far has taken two days!  Gotta love it!

I Have Decided to Stick With Love.....

 "An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity."

 "We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive.  He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.  There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us.  When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies."

" I have decided to stick with love.  Hate is too great a burden to bear."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Not For the Faint of Heart!

On Wednesday this week, I once again participated in the monthly meeting of Charity Quilts - the tops we tied were among some of the most gorgeous I've seen and all donated to help warm the lives of someone living in an old aged home.  The most recent recipients are residents in a Philadelphia area facility that accommodates elderly and infirm at no cost.  We have received letters from the nuns running the facility to express the appreciation they all have for the quilts.  Warms the heart!
Our Chairwoman, Mary, will be resigning her post in May, and therefore, we are scrambling to ensure the survival of Charity Quilts - something so many of us care for deeply.  We are hoping to set up a team of folks who will pull together to do the many aspects of the job - which for many years have been done by just two - two very dedicated individuals.  
Anyway - during the lunch break, Mary introduced us to a project with which she has challenged us.   
Through a lottery type drawing, we each (those of us participating) got packets of fabric and directions to follow in cutting it up and sewing it back together.
I picked yummy fabric in purples.
My pattern is called Basket Weave.
Here's the kicker.
In most instances, the fabric provided is Exactly the yardage needed to make the top!  The project is also called A Five Yard Quilt.  As in, you NEED five yards, you GET five yards, and if you screw it up - too bad!

Here are the fabrics I drew - as well as the directions.
They sat on the table as is for three days - taunting me....terrifying me.  I know me....I know how often I "think" I know what I'm doing...and then find out I didn't!  I was itching to get cutting...and sweating that I'd mess it up!
And then the e-mails started coming in.

"Ooops, I made a mistake in the pattern!  Don't worry if you have already begun cutting - it won't make a difference there."

And then another e-mail:

"Uh, Oh!  Made another mistake -  you don't need NINE squares - you need 35."

Huh?  What?  I'm pretty sure that if I'd "thought" I needed only 9 squares, I'd probably been pretty lackadaisical in my cutting....and since some of the yardage was EXACT, I might not have been able to cut enough pieces.
Thank goodness I had a healthy fear!  By waiting - waiting until the last of four e-mails came in, I may have saved a lot of aggravation.

 And so, it is cut and carefully numbered......

  laid out
and two squares are sewn together.

So far, I don't like them, but perhaps, when all are laid together the basket weave will show and I'll be happy.
Looking at the pictures, I can see that they don't show the true colors....they actually do look better than this in person.
And I am no longer as scared!

Nice Way to See in the New Year

 

 Well, finally feeling more like myself! Had a virus of some kind for a week!  And what a super way to celebrate feeling better than having a visit from my sister!  We made ornaments together - she made the one on the left, wanting it to hang during the year, rather than just at Christmas...mine is on the right, almost the same as one I made to give away - Lar loved it and wanted one of his own!

I finally got a couple of decent pictures of this year's tree.

 And Carol brought down a little quilt she'd made for a friend's grandchild, and an even smaller one for the child's dolly!  I made up labels for them, and they will be presented as first birthday gifts.  Good job Carol!

Reflections and New Beginning

 The day after our "Day-After-Christmas-Breakfast" found us baby-sitting for Ian and Madelyn.  We built things, we knocked things over, we swapped bottle caps, we had snacks and the little ones played their games...

 we cuddled

at least one of us fell asleep in a chair
and then it all unraveled!  But it was heart warming while it lasted.  The kids had had their fill of holiday excitement, they were ready for Mom and Dad and back to normal.  Quite honestly, so were we!  Much as we relish all the festivities, they do tire, don't they?
Next day we drove upstate to meet up with my "baby brother" and his son.  We had a fabulous visit, had a meal together

 and drove home under the light of a full moon.

 And now, for the New Beginnings:
Somewhere I read about an idea to celebrate the little things that might get forgotten, or ignored in your life.  The suggestion was a memory jar, a Mason jar, perhaps, into which one places a slip of paper each evening onto which has been written one joyful moment, one little highlight of the day.  At the end of that year, the little slips get read, and thought of.  What a great idea!  Too often the bad stuff is what we remember, and in remembering, that's what we "celebrate"!  

On the Day After Christmas My True Love Gave to Me.....

On the day after Christmas two of our sons and their families gathered at our house for brunch.  It was so doggoned much fun that I'd love to do it every year!  The night before I prepared Baked French Toast which sits in the fridge over night, Li'l Smokies wrapped in bacon and rolled in brown sugar, and cheesy hash browns in the crock pot.  So this morning I had only to pop the french toast and sausages into the oven, scramble the eggs and we were good.  And I think every dish was well received...especially the sausages - little cardiac time-bombs - which got some rave reviews!

 Lar got a complete beer making set up from Larry III's family - looks like he'll be needing some expert assistance 'til he gets his Master Brewer certificate!

 Again, I'd call the picture above "What Christmas is to me" and if Jessica were here it would be complete!  God bless them, they made the day perfect!

Ian the Builder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 So that's Christmas 2012 for us - and we are sending out our very best wishes to you and yours.....may you have a peaceful, healthy and prosperous New Year!
Love, Ann and Larry