I'm Making Some Progress

I'm happy to say that I'm making some progress here this week even though I feel like I've been spinning my wheels...running a zillion errands, haircut, nails (regular maintence before my big trip) laundry,cleaning, working out...but I did get Hometown Christmas Section 5 done today...a big WOOHOO going up here...it was only due on
Dec 15th...tomorrow I plan on getting Section 7 done and then I'll be caught up again. OMG, where does the time go?

 

Look what came in the mail yesterday...I called Donna Yackey, the designer and spoke with her...what a small, small world...Donna came to Orlando several years ago and came to my shop...we had tons of fun and so I was thrilled when I found out that this was her pattern. We chatted on the phone and plan on seeing each other when I'm in California next week. She works at Country Loft and doesn't live too far away,so if it's not her day to work, she said just call and she'll come down. I can't wait to see her!

 

I'm getting beyond excited...I don't know whether "my man" is going to be able to survive the next few days with me, but I'll try to be on good behavior. I'm so excited to be able to see some blogland friends at the show...oh we're going to have some fun! CALIFORNIA here I come!

Welcome to Blogland Karen

Just want to take a minute to welcome Karen to Blogland. Her blog is called Log Cabin Quilter and her address is karen-logcabinquilter.blogspot.com. Now I know you're thinking, why didn't Carol make a link...well I did, and then checked and it didn't work,Blogger wasn't playing nice...so I deleted the other post a redid it. Karen is very talented and very prolific, so check back often to see what she's up to.
Check out those wonderful house placemats, I was one of the lucky recipients of 4 of those placemats at Christmas. YIPPEE! I LOVE them.
Karen is in the group of gals that asked me to join them to sew. I am so honored to be a part of their group. Very, very talented ladies.
I'll check back in later but wanted to welcome Karen this morning. Enjoy!

All Over The Place

When you read my post today you will probably be shaking your head from side to side, saying "she's all over the place"...and guess what, you'd be right! LOL! I've got 2 different projects posted here today and I've done swap blocks for 3 different swaps, prepped some stitchery blocks and pulled fabric for another project, all in the past 3 days and you know what...I had a great time! Tons of FUN!

I've had Cheri Saffiote's Christmas quilt on my list for a while...and I decided it was time to get going...I prepped a block from the top right corner, that's the star block and I added the wool heart, and the bottom right, that's the pear block and instead of regular cotton to applique the star and the stem, I'm using wool. Don't ask why I didn't start with section 1, like any organized person would do...those 2 blocks just caught my eye and I was off pulling fabric.

 

A very good friend of mine has a son graduating from high school in May, so this is for him...I'm using a Holly Taylor line of fabric...he's a real outdoor guy, loves to hunt so this will be perfect for him. This is one of the 4 large blocks that make up the quilt and then there are several borders...I used one Jelly Roll and the "Trail Adventures" pattern from the Strip Crazy book. It's going together so fast. YIPPEE!

 

 

I have to share this book with you...Howie and Zack gave this to me for Christmas...it's a tiny little book with a very powerful message. Anna Quindlan hit the nail right on the head with this one in describing what dogs bring to our lives...if you are a dog lover this is a must read...make sure you have several Kleenex.

 

Now for a bit of a rant...I am just having a hard time believing a phone call I got today from Josh, but I know he wasn't making this up because mom called and told me the same thing. It seems that Josh and Katie sent mom a card and a whole stack of new pictures of Hampton. Katie said she took it into the post office, handed it to the man, told him it was pictures for their grandmother of her great-grandson. The man was very nice, he had her write on the envelope "Pictures...Do Not Bend". Skip forward to yesterday when mom got the mail...the envelope was there and she was so excited...Hampton pictures...well, she said someone had clearly cut the envelope open and there were no pictures inside...the note card was there but that was it. Mom was almost in tears, Josh promised to resend the pictures, and they were both just perplexed and saddened. So they each called me separately to tell the story and get my thoughts on why someone would do that. All I can think of is that they thought maybe there was money in there, pulled out the pictures, no money, and threw the pics away instead of putting them back in. Mom was so excited because these were new ones that we haven't gotten from the kids over the Internet, these were special for her and they're gone. I just don't get it! Why can't people just be nice?

Hello 2008-Happy New Year

I know I'm a little late with my Happy New Year wishes, but I've been contemplating the coming year and didn't want to post until I felt like I had it figured out...so before I begin I'd like to wish all of my Blogland friends a very wonderful 2008, happy, healthy and full of time to do what makes you happy. That leads me right into what I've been mulling over yesterday and today as I looked back on 2007 and forward to 2008. I've been reading with interest the past couple of days lots of resolutions not to buy fabric and to finish the UFO's...and I've come to the conclusion that I am going to spend this year doing the things that make me the happiest...now please know that this are my thoughts for this year and I don't want to step on any toes, but we all need to do what works for us and what is important ...if there's a UFO in the pile that I really want to finish then I'll get it done, but I'm not going to spend time finishing something from years ago, that I really don't like or care about any more to say that I finished a UFO...the old cliche says it all "Life is too short"...time is too limited to spend it on something I don't really want to do. There are zillions of things I really want to do, that will bring me much happiness. So when I come upon a UFO that I don't want anymore, I'm going to bag up all the pieces and the pattern or book and give it to a guild or group that can use it...it will bring someone else happiness and that's what matters.
2007 was a year of great changes for us...Andy retired in April and I closed my shop and retired the end of August...this has been a huge and wonderful change for us. We are enjoying spending time together, we either work out at the gym or walk every day, we both feel better than we've felt in a very long time. I've been invited to start sewing with a few gals, which I am so excited about. I'm doing some swaps that I'm really loving. I've got a donation quilt ready for a binding. I have time to do the things that make me happy!
My first exciting thing in 2008 is that I'm going to California in on Jan 16 to visit Sharon, go to Road to California, and go wonderful quilt shops. I can't wait. New patterns to see, projects to get excited about...lots to look forward to.
In April there's the quilt show in Chicago...YIPPEE! And in August Andy and I are going on an Alaskan cruise...this has been a dream for a long time and we're doing it. In between all this excitement I'm going to sew and stitch, spend time with mom and get to see Hampton (and his mom and dad) as much as I can.
So I guess what all this long, ramble is saying is, I'm going to do what makes me happy, as Darlene said in her New Year's post, "what gives me joy" and I'm not going to feel guilty for one moment. Life is too short! Life is Good! Let's have a happy 2008!

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!!!!!!!!!!