Merry Christmas

Josh and Katie sent this picture of Hampton and I just had to share it with all of you! Hampton loves the tree!

 

Merry Christmas to all of you...you have certainly added wonderful things to my life this year! Thank you one and all...Love Carol

The Boys are Ready for Christmas

We've all been bustiling around getting ready, so of course Howie and Zack had to get in the middle of it all...the groomer came and gave them their Christmas bath, nails clipped and a Christmas bandana. These two are not the labs you see on TV with bandanas all the time...they hate them...it was all I could do to get a picture.

 

Tuesday was Zack's day to go in to the vet, be sedated and have lots of x-rays and radiographs to make sure that his leg was healing properly. It's been 6 weeks since his surgery and I'm thrilled to say, he's doing great. There was just a little area in the bone that hadn't totally fused together yet...so he's still on limited activity for 3 more weeks. But they were very pleased with his progress. He's been released and we don't have to go back unless he has a problem...OMG no more problems please...

I've been sewing today...I'm working on a baby quilt for a neighbor with 30's fabrics...I'll show pictures when I get it together...the blocks are done...just have to get it together. I'm going to go do some more stitching before I have to start some dinner.

Tomorrow, I have to make more pretzels and do some cookies...oh I love this time of the year!

Nothing Quilty, but Lots Yummy

There hasn't been a single thing quilty going on here unfortunately, but there has been some yummy treats being made. Andy and I have to go to a neighbors Christmas party on Saturday night so I thought I'd make some of Sharon's wonderful pretzels...some turned into 57 pretzels...Andy says I just don't know when to stop. But I sure had fun.

 

Then I made some white chocolate covered mix. Many years ago I belonged to Junior League...someone brought this to one of the meetings and it became a staple for us. I think we made it for every occasion. And now that we can get M&M's in any color we really can make it for any event. The gal said the name of it is White Trash...I've never liked that name so with each holiday I use a different name. For Christmas it's called Santa's White Christmas. It is so good. A little salty, crispy and sweet...a really good combo. One batch makes quite a bit. I've made 3 batches so far, with help from my Andy...he's a really good stirrer...I have about 5 more batches to do.

 

Here's the recipe...Santa's White Christmas

3 cups Cheerios
3 cups Rice Chex
3 cups Corn Chex
2 cups Lightly Salted Dry Roasted Peanuts
2 cups pretzel sticks
16 oz. bag M&M's
24 oz. White Chocolate (the Wilton white candy coating at Joann's works perfectly)

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Melt the white chocolate, pour over the dry mixture, stir well until the mix is well coated.

Spread onto wax paper lined cookie sheets until hard. (I put it in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes)

Break into small pieces. Store in an airtight container.

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!

Another Year Older

During the time that the kids and mom were here I had a birthday...it was so great to have my whole family here for my birthday. And then what a surprise Sharon put on her blog that it was my birthday and I got so many nice birthday wishes from Blogland friends. Thank you all for taking time send me wishes. Made my day...then the mailman came and here was a package from Miss Geranium herself...oh was it ever fun...look at the bag she made for me...I just love it...it's going to be my stitchery bag...it will hold everything just perfectly and I'll think of Sharon every time I look at it.

 

Then along with the bag was this wonderful Kay England pattern for a beautiful basket quilt called Lucille Ball...long story...and the cutest pin box full of nice pins, new Susan Branch charm squares and look at that wonderful handmade basket...Sharon you have spoiled me once again.

 

So thank you all for making my birthday one to remember and cherish...you all just make me so HAPPY!

What a Fun Time We Had!

Seems like it's been forever and a day since I posted, you'd think I was working again. The kids were here until Tuesday morning...Mom was with us until Monday late afternoon...there was so much going on and we sure had tons of fun. Mom and I taught Hampton "So BIG" and he was so proud of himself...well, Josh immediately thought we had taught him TOUCHDOWN! Oh my goodness!

 

We celebrated Hampton's First Birthday on Sunday...hard to believe he's a year old already...here's the crazy family...party hats and those things you blow...we had a great time. Hampton's Godmother and Godfather were here with us also, Aunt Beth was taking the picture so she didn't get in. It was great to have them here from Wisconsin.

 

Since the kids left Tuesday I've been cleaning and doing laundry...I did get to the machine and got my Hometown block done on time! YIPPEE! Nothing creative though, I did exactly what the pattern said.

 

This week should get back to normal...I think I'll get some sewing done...but I'd take everybody here over normal any day.

I Have Much To Be Thankful For

I have so much to be thankful for on this day before Thanksgiving...I have wonderful Blogland friends who send me the best packages like in yesterday's post and that show me how to make these yummy chocolate pretzels...

 

Thank you Sharon for showing me how to do these!

I am thankful for my sweet Hampton...here he is during one of our mornings together...he and I get up and let his mom and dad sleep in. I am such a lucky girl to have such a wonderful family.

 

The kids just went over to have lunch with my mom and to bring her here until Monday...they have to go home Monday so I'll take mom back to her house on Monday. She'll be here for Thanksgiving and for Hampton's First Birthday on Sunday. I just can't believe my little man is a year old already...hard to believe.

I am also so excited that Katie has caught the quilting bug...here's a quilt that she cut out by herself and we laid it out night before last...this is for a very good friend of her's whose having a new baby girl. Katie did a simple quilt for their first baby and decided she wanted to do one for the new baby and she wanted it to be a little more advanced to use her words. She hopes to start sewing before they head home. It is so wonderful to see how excited she is.

 

So my wish for all my friends is for a very Happy Thanksgiving...let's all take a moment to count our blessings...I count all of you in my blessings.

Thank you Cheryl

Thank you Cheryl for my Chocolate Swap treats...I am one lucky girl...look at all those chocolate treats...white chocolate gingerbread bark, eggnog almond bark, Wonka Bar (chocolate with graham cracker crumbles) and lots of other delicious chocolate delights. And do you see the bag Cheryl made for me...I LOVE it...and she put an extra treat in for me...a kit for the turkey tabletopper that she had on her blog last week.

 

This is the second time I've written tonight...the first time was very long and had several pictures...you guessed it...Blogger ate it...said there was an error and it didn't even save the draft. So I'm off to bed and I'll try to tell you the whole week's story tomorrow...

Not a Whole Lot Going On

I guess we all have weeks like this...not much going on here to blog about...just the ordinary...grocery shopping, errands, laundry...One of the errands yesterday was to go by Linens N' Things with my 20% coupon and buy a new ironing board. My old one was falling apart and the cover was so awful that blocks were starting to stick to it...so here it is...

 

Please excuse the bulletin board over the ironing board...I didn't realize it looked so bad until I saw the picture...I know where the next clean-up project will be.

I did get the section of Hometown Christmas done that was due today...YIPPEE! This was a really easy one...the section for the 30th looks a whole lot harder...better get going on it.

 

And you know I've told you I love the Holly Jolly fabric...here's the start of another project using it...Tilt A Whirl...so far it has been really fun. The piecing is super easy but you really have to pay attention to how the pieces go together or you don't get the pinwheel effect.

 

Josh, Katie and Hampton will arrive tomorrow sometime...they are coming a little early for Thanksgiving because Katie's grandmother passed away last night in a town just north of here...so we get to see them for a little longer. They'll be here for Thanksgiving, my birthday and Hampton's first birthday on the 25th...I can't believe he's already a year old. I've been out shopping for food for him, got a high chair, a bathtub, diapers...oh my things have changed since Josh was bitty. The kids are going to go pick up my mom and bring her here on Wednesday and she'll stay until Monday so she can spend lots and lots of time with Hampton.

I'll try to post with pictures of Hampton...have a great evening.

Sorry

I had a brain freeze when I published...I should have done them in reverse order. So if you want to know how the Fons & Porter Binding Tool works you'll have to go to the 3rd post and read backwards. Sorry everyone.

Last Part

Sew across the line.

 

Check to make sure the binding is sewn correctly and not twisted. Trim excess leaving 1/4" seam allowance. Finger press the seam open. Fold the binding in half.

 

Stitch binding down.

 

That's it...works for me...I hope you all like it as much as I do.

Part 2

Blogger and Picasa won't let me do more than 4 pictures at a time so...

Bring the left binding over the binding tool and cut it at the line for the width of your binding. My binding is 2" so I cut it over the 2" line.

 

This is the step I found I had to do the opposite of the directions.
Open the right binding strip so th right side is facing up. Position the end of the left strip along the top edge of the right strip.

 

Place diagonal line on the Binding Tool along the end of the left strip. Mark a sewing line across the bottom of the tool.

 

 

Fons and Porter Binding Tool Tutorial

I've finally had some time to do this as I promised. Zack is doing well, but has to be watched like a hawk, he keeps wanting to get the stitches out...he's managed to get 2 of the 5 out...so one of us tries to keep an eye on him all the time...since he can't come upstairs my sewing time is in spurts. Not much to show. But that's just fine...my boy is getting better and that's what matters.
So here's the tutorial for this tool that I love...most everything is just like the directions, I've added my little editorial comments and one direction I just couldn't get to work the way it said so I'm telling you what I did...if you get it to work the other way please let me know what I'm doing wrong. The way I did it works perfectly and the binding works every time.
Here we go...

The directions say to leave a 7"-8" tail of binding free when you start stitching it to the quilt. I leave 8", I think having the extra inch when you do the ends makes it easier.

 

Stitch the binding down around the quilt. The directions say to stop 10"-12" between the beginning and ending. I leave 12" between. Now you will have 2 long free ends between your stitching.

 

Trim the right binding strip to 6" or half of your opening space, so that it ends in the center of the opening.

 

Put the binding tool on the end of the right binding strip.

 

Hometown Christmas Section Done

I got the first three sections done way ahead and just coasted through the dates that were set and then BAM! Kim reminded us that we had a section "due" on Oct 30...well here it is...a day late but done none the less.

 

This is really fun to do...it is truly like putting a puzzle together and so far I have gotten every piece from my stash. YIPPEE! I have the other 2 sections all cut and laid out so maybe I'll get them done early.

A quick report on my Zack...he's doing great today. So far, no swelling, a little bruising but not too bad. He's being a very good boy...no licking and no chewing so far. His brother is staying pretty close to him. They are just so sweet.

Have a Happy Halloween everyone!

All is right in our corner of the world

Life is good again for pitiful Howie...his brother is home safe and sound.

 

He had to sniff every inch of poor Zack and then he was happy. Zack is doing pretty well...he's much more restless this time than he was the last time and he's not getting up quite as well because his other repaired leg isn't as strong yet...but they say he'll get better every day. He was so restless for a while and we just couldn't get him to settle down so I thought I'd try lying down with him...well I guess I fell asleep. The things we do for our babies.

 

Oh my, that picture certainly emphasizes my back side...oh YIKES! Andy took the picture cause he thought it was just so cute...mom and her boy...guess I should have previewed. Oh well, it's your chuckle for the evening.
I've got to be short here tonight and get back downstairs...enjoy the evening everyone!

Poor Pitiful Howie

Have you ever seen anything quite so pathetic...Andy left with Zack this morning at 7:30 for his surgery on his other knee...now you know we should all be feeling sorry for Zack, he is the one having the surgery...but this is the pitiful one. Howie went to this window by the front door this morning as Andy and Zack left...he watched the vehicle go by...he cried and cried and cried. Then when Andy came home he went running to the door that comes in from the garage...looked right past Andy and was looking for Zack...No Zack and we went back to the pitiful dog. He's been sad all afternoon. He'll be happy tomorrow...we pick Zack up at 10:45 in the morning. Not that Zack will be able to do anything but at least he'll be home.

 

The vet just called and said that the surgery went great and that he came out of the anesthesia perfectly. He'll sleep good tonight and then he'll be back home.

Now you all know that I'm not a gadget person, but I picked this one up at our new Joann's Grand Opening sale...they gave out lots of coupons so I thought for half off I'd give it a try. I always stress when I do binding, trying to get those ends together. I've seen great tutorials, and used them several times, but you know what...this takes every bit of thought and measuring and guessing out of the process. YIPPEE! My binding came together perfectly. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.

 

Have a wonderful evening.

Happy Saturday

Hope everyone is having a good Saturday...Andy keeps telling me that everyday is Saturday for us now, but there is still something about the weekend. I can't quite put my finger on it...anyone able to help?
Here's my Holly Jolly Braid quilt...it was very fun to do and a big Thank you to Sharonfor getting me started on this one...I love the pattern and I am nuts about this Holly Jolly fabric...it is just so happy. I'm giving this one to a very good friend of mine whose mom just passed away...I think she's going to need something happy this Christmas.

 

The mail person did it again...made my day...look at this box of goodies from Sharon...treats from Hawaii...a WowWee Maui candy bar...chocolate, Kona coffee and caramel....YUMMY!!!!!!!!!! Kikeriki Wellness tea...Lemon Grass, Peppermint, Lemon Balm and Rosemary...it says it "Helps Wake you Up!" Perfect for the middle of the afternoon slump. And look at wonderful little angel holding the pumpkin...Oh she is wonderful! Thank you Sharon!

 

Then I just couldn't resist...I ordered that cute Christmas yellow and red Double Irish Chain quilt from the Quilt Merchant...there's a picture of it in my "I'm Home" post from Oct. 11. I have no clue why I didn't get it when I was there...guess I thought I had enough...silly me...well I kept thinking about it and that cute border...e-mailed and Poof! there it is...in my mailbox. I had her send me the cute backing too.

 

I need to go finish some swap blocks and work on my Hometown blocks. Enjoy you Saturday!