Happy Christmas 2022

 Merry Christmas Everyone!

And directly from me...

What I just finished listening to... If you loved Gilmore Girls and Parenthood shows... you will LOVE this book!  She is such an easy talker!

I finished the quilt for my mom.. she will open it later this week.... so that made room to work on my friends stuff and to start a NEW PROJECT!

This is a 2021 pattern that came out as the same time as the below pattern options....

The best place to find a kit that has almost everything needed for this project... is on Etsy or Ebay with someone destashing their stuff.  I found mine googling and though it reached me safely it took 2 weeks so I don't recommend this shop and won't here either!

Below you see how I took a piece of cardstock sent in the mail aka JUNK MAILER.... and made a thread card by cutting slits for each color!!!

After following the directions and locating the middle I am finding that cross stitching on paper cardstock with pre drilled holes is awesome :)

Here is my progress... 1 color done and working on the next color now!  There are 12 colors to stitch all together....  There is a YouTube video on finishing the ornament too!  YAY :)

Linking this progress with cool cross stitching I thought I would never do again d/t arthritis.... to Kathy's Quilts Slow Stitching Sunday HERE <<<<<  While there check out her new topper on her blog!

We have otherwise still had a busy week despite the cold weather.... Rick went out in snippets and added screws and stability to our deck and then got on it and tested it... he wants it good and strong!

We got an oil change and a new tire... ran some errands and hunkered down for this next to zero temps that won't go away from us!  North Carolina is NOT used to this brrrrrr!

Also we have started packing and picked up some boxes and several sheets of paper to wrap things in...

LOOOTS of PAPER here for wrapping precious items... and we now have about 8 boxes packed and ready to go to our friends basement ... temp controlled... for storing :)

Our goal is to stage the cabin with only a few items remaining in each room to prove it's purpose or to house our everyday needs... this cabin is filled up and we are starting to sort and sell or donate things we won't use in the future... less to move!  See Molly looking over the boxes for her daddy??? LOL

Here is a cute close up I landed with Molly in the rocker sitting up in her cute sweater provided by her Grandpa and Nana (my parents) :)

My new mani is "Mardi Gras"  A fun mix of blue purple and silver glitters :)

A joy pillow I hope to make in the coming year as I ponder being joyful!

Here is one meme a friend found on the internet...

Tell me as you read the below meme you don't start hearing the tune in your head to the other words to this song!

This year it is just me, my honey and our pup... Hope you have a very Merry Christmas no matter how few or how many are part of YOUR celebration of the holiday and Jesus' birth specifically!

An Empty Frame & Painting! Exciting times :)

Hi Y’all  and happy Sunday & only a week until Christmas!

It has been busy around here preparing for the frigid temps and this morning it is 27 degrees!

Rick has been painting and painting outside!

See that outbuilding???

Painted now!

See under the deck area???

Painted now!!!

All that remaining wood will be sorted into 2 piles … usable and need to trash.  You can't burn pressure treated wood as the remains have arsenic and can be deadly!

We will be renting a trash dumpster next month for all our trash needs !  

My honey did all that painting with only 2 gallons of paint and has 1/2 gallon of that left over for touch ups!!!

As for me....

I finished the ornaments by Monday morning ...

and delivered them… all 21 on Monday around lunch after another appointment :)

No pictures were taken though after construction was complete unfortunately.... I gifted them in a brown bag and now I need to finish up a pillow for her from her husband’s shirts as well as a bed runner because there are so many pieces remaining I want them in a usable piece like keeping her feet warm at night 💕

The next news is that hand quilting my moms quilt ...

included these sweet applique butterflies made of lace....

I put them in each corner of the top of the quilt :)

 

Tah Dah!!!!

And it was complete as of Friday night late…

Saturday I got the binding sewn on ...

and started on stitching it down...

Today that is where you’ll find me!  Linking this progress to Kathy's Quilts HERE <<<  Come see all the fun stuff being done BY HAND with needle & thread, hooks and needles, cotton and linen and wool included :)

Do you have a favorite Christmas movie???

We have Hulu and Roku channels for tv viewing :)  Your comment below on what your fave is would be great.... we used to always watch Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase but I need something fresh now!

I hope you are able to throttle things down and enjoy this Holiday season 

Look at our Fireplace decor this year!

Do you have a favorite of the 2 pictures above???  I like the second one better :)

This is a jelly roll Sizzle quilt that is a free pattern from the Fat Quarter Shop and the outer border is an addition that is also a free download from Pat Sloan!  It just looks like a fun make... and the FQS pattern comes in a multitude of sizes :)

I hope to have a fun quilt area to display year round fun in our next home :)

Spread that kindness around this season and always... Thanks for stopping in and finally I'll close with my $1 find at a local thift shop....

My word for 2023!!!!  In a framed and matted way!!!!  I am sew excited to hang this up in our home to come as a reminder to keep Joy in my heart ALWAYS!!!!  For the rest of this year I will Focus, though, on the Present things to be done!

Sew Much Progress to Share Y’all!!

It has been a busy and productive week for us!  How about you??

Here is the Christmas decor for this year! … I figure until we unearth our Christmas stored in the outside building this will do ✌🏻

I got the sweetest pic of my granddaughter this week…

Isn’t Ellie festive?!  And she still enjoys the tent we gifted her for her second Christmas!!!  Now she is 3 1/2 😘

Rick has been steadily working on the side porch revision and making it more sturdy than before to pass inspections AND to hold a family of people as they check out this mountain cabin in late January… more likely February when we are ready to cut ties and sell… so much still to do!  But that will be for later… after the side porch and other outdoor work is done and we have packed away our favorite items!

The community we live in is mostly part timers who have a full time home elsewhere… we have loved the quietness of this cabin and hope God has a peaceful home waiting for us!

I have been busy since my post last Sunday quilting and sewing too!  First I’ll share my sewing project…

Sewing memorial ornaments from my friend’s husband’s shirt pieces… My friend Denise found this and several other ideas and my friend Crystal… a widow from this spring… asked if I could make something tangible for Christmas  for her 3 daughters who are all daddy’s girls!  YES I said!!!

“I love you to ever” the mom written inscription reads… a personal saying within their little family… She has only her fave items of his at home so I’m also taking on making a pillow for her from some full shirts she had left after saving a bit back for special custom ornaments next year from a cool Etsy seller I vetted for her!

Above is the shirt front that will hold their family love saying on the inside flap of the pocket… and a full shirt piece for the other side too!

Then there are ornaments needed for church and work and family members so she made the tags for them as well.... I got over halfway with them yesterday…

These are 21 ornaments made just the same!  I’ll finish sewing stuffing adding hanging cord and closing the openings today then focus on her pillow!  Between all this activity I’ll quilt on my mom's Bible verse quilt!

I’ve made lots of progress since last weeks' post including 2 rolls of the quilt…

Now I only have 1 roll remaining after this… Binding is made and then when they visit for New Years it will be gifted!

Can anyone guess what is next for my frame???

Leave it in the comments below or in direct email if commenting isn't working for you when you try HERE<<<

Waiting on this cute ornament kit to arrive… 2 turtle doves!!! It is made of heavy cardstock, thread and beads with sequins!  I am so excited to get this :)  My Christmas present to US!

So as Christmas approaches and you take stock of your year… what are you most proud of?  

I’m so proud God gave me the skills and friends to help me find just the right things to help my friend Crystal!!!  I am also greatful to have a handy honey… pics next week on the side porch progress that may include forecasted SNOW ❄️!!!

Have a blessed week and don’t forget to stop by Kathy’s slow Sunday stitcher’s HERE <<< To see what all the hand-y work they are doing!  They amaze and inspire me!

This hand quilted finish by a girl in one of my Facebook groups inspires me too!

The above quilt is hand quilted but machine pieced the author says... she made up the pattern and used the perfect fabrics to bring it all together and what a charming display of her talents!  I have no "Christmas Quilts " but would love to make something similar for our new home to be next year :)

For now... please remain joyful no matter what holiday you celebrate this Season!

Happy December my friends!

Thanks for visiting my blog 🥰

I am making lots of headway this week on soo many projects and so is my honey!!!

My one word for 2023 is chosen!  We are due for a bit of a bumpy road with a move and so many goals to meet coming up!!!  I found the perfect word!!!

This will be my sign off starting in January and throughout 2023!

JOY is my word for 2023 & more specifically Joyful <<<!

I will be a bit sad to leave this mountain cabin!   But my parents will need us in the future and we need to be closer… so I’ll keep that portable JOY with me & if I forget it... well I have this sign off & each of you to hold me accountable!

We are excited about what home God has planned for us where we are planning to move.

Other than a bit of packing and reorganizing for showing off our home in January… December should be a low key month now…

So my leader post moving back to blogger mentioned a giveaway to those that comment!  My goal had been to make a hand embroidered personalized item but my brain hasn’t been able to wrap around that project yet so stay tuned!!!

What has been keeping me busy you ask???

Quilting and Pondering or rather Pondering what I should quilt on my mom’s quilt… here’s what I decided on with friends helping me with ideas!!!

Now to get the second side of the quilt done!!! Lol

Linking this awesome decision on stitching thanks to my bestie.. to Kathy’s Slow Stitching crew HERE <<<<

As I mentioned last week... I'm having to learn blogger all over again... it works differently than WordPress and that is ok... I also don't have many pics to share this week and not much else to report....

I hope you have enjoyed this abbreviated first post of December!  I have enjoyed adding bits and parts here and there all week long!

Have a blessed week ahead and thanks for visiting!  

Please comment below if you got this far with feedback on that process :)  Thanks!