Wordless Wednesday

 

1986 

A Week of Celebrating

I have had 10 days of celebrating my birthday.  Who said getting older isn't fun?  This is a picture of the 35 foot blue spruce that is the Christmas tree at the State Capital in Pierre.   There are over 90 decorated Christmas trees in the building.   What a wonderful way to get instilled with the Christmas spirit by looking at all these fabulous trees.  This picture is taken from the second floor.  All the trees were gorgeous.  It's fun to see all the lights and different ways of decorating.  There is also a beautiful Nativity scene.

I attended the State Oral Interpretation contest in Pierre.  Nephew Kyle and his friend, Dade qualified for the state competition by winning local, district and regional contests.   Kyle performed in original prose and serious drama.  Dade competed in the serious poetry division.   Kyle was awarded a gold medal and superior rating for his presentation of War-A Matter of Life and Death.  He and Dade received excellent rating on their other pieces.  I enjoyed time with my 3 SILs, Sharon, Judy and Leasa and nephew, Carson.   On Friday night we had supper at an Italian restaurant to celebrate my birthday.   DD 1 joined us too.  She gave me a Kindle Fire for my birthday!!!  We stayed overnight, so I had a slumber party for my birthday.   Lots of laughs!!  The competition was all day Saturday.  After the awards ceremony, we toured the tree display at the Capital.

 This beautiful flocked tree was decorated with these cute little owls.

I thought this one decorated with elves was adorable.

Last week-end--another party!!   Members from both families and a few friends gathered  at a local steakhouse to help me celebrate again.  DD 1 made sure I had plenty of candles to blow out.   I wish I was heading some where to wear those flip flops.  lol

This last Wednesday my two good friends, Peggy, Sandi and I spent the day together.  We enjoyed a Mexican lunch, shopping and a trip to see the trees.   DH asked me if I was done celebrating now.   I think the partying is over. 

I am so bless to have a wonderful family and special friends who felt I needed extra celebrations for my 60th year.   Thank you to all my blogging friends, who took the time to post their wishes.  I didn't get you answered, but I really enjoyed hearing from each of you!! 

Thank you all for a memorable bithday.

What to do next?

We had a wonderful Christmas--lots of family, food and fun.   I didn't take any pictures.  I borrowed one Jen took, so I wasn't totally photoless--and it looks fuzzy.  I'm exhausted.   Lots of late nights just hanging out as a family again.  The girls are back to their jobs and homes.  DH and I spent yesterday recuperating.  lol  Today we made a business trip and DH bought a snowblower for the tractor.  We had snow last week and are expecting more tomorrow.   The snowblower will make it easier to get around the hay yard and clean the calves' yards.  It will also help keep the road to the highway clear.   I really hope we don't get that much, but now DH is prepared for the worst.

Now that the girls are gone I can get all my sewing stuff out again.   So many quilts, so little time.  I should have January and February to sew.  I really need to get projects out and get organized to finish some things.  Of course, all the new BOMs will start in January and I haven't finished any BOMs from last year.  I need to catch up on Raggedy Ann & Friends.  What to do next?  I need to do borders for one Pinwheel quilt, sash the Jelly Roll blocks, make 3 more Pinwheel blocks in the purple/green colors and practice my Free Motion Quilting.  There are some Snowbound blocks to make and quite a few blocks to embroider for a variety of projects.  Oh my, but I can't resist starting the new BOMs.

The first BOM is from a German blog, All About My Quiltshop Kaleidoskop.  There is a translator gadget on the right side.    

I love hearts.  This is such a pretty design.  I'm going to do this BOM or at least save the patterns.

Little Miss Shabby is starting a BOM in January called Birdie Stitches.  Of course I can't resist this BOM either.  What's a blogging quilter to do?  So many cute BOMs and so little time.  : (

There is going to be a Blog Hop with Valentine Designs.  I bet there will be some give aways too.  It's good to get started thinking about Valentine themed projects now.  You know how I love those blog hops.  : ) I put the button on the right side.

Do you struggle with all the wonderful things there are to do online?   I'm not going to let it overwhelm me.  I'm just going to enjoy working on whatever I am working on whenever I have time to work on it.  This is suppose to be fun--right? 

I Won and A New Challenge Site

I got an email from Quiltmaker that I'm a winner.  All that time I spent on the internet wasn't wasted.  lol  I had alot of fun looking at all the blocks and visiting new blogs.  I'm such a blog junkie!  I love my laptop.

I went back and read the blog.  I'm one of the Big Bundle winners.  I'm so excited!!  It's not a GO, but I'll take it.  lol  :)

 Isn't this the cutest button?  I love the quilt and of couse the cat under the table.  There is a new blog in blog land.  It's a challenge blog.  Paula of Paula's Crafty Corner has started a second blog called Paula's Sewing Challenges.  You can enter a your project for a chance to win prizes.  Please stop over and see what Paula is doing with this new blog.  I'm sure you have a project you can enter.

This is the project I'm entering in Paula's challenge this time.  It is Gingerbread Men table runner.  It was in Quick Quilts.  It was so much fun to make.  I like gingerbread men almost as much as I like snowmen--love those men.  lol

I quilted it with peppermint swirls.

I hope you will stop over and check out Paula's blog for challenges.  It is so nice of her to go to all the work of setting up this fun site.   She is giving away the cutest prizes too. 

I better get busy.  BIL and nephew are coming tonight.  Deer hunting season opens tomorrow morning.  I need to get my sewing room in order, so he can find a bed to sleep on.  We will be headed to a funeral that DH is a pall bearer for in the morning  His Dad's cousin passed away this week.  

I need to do Thanksgiving food shopping.  I hope to stop and do that after the funeral 

 Have a good week-end!

Snowfriends

This is my entry for SewCalGal's Christmas Quilt Show 2010.   There are some lovely prizes being given away.  It is so much fun to hop around the blogs and look at all the beautiful things made from Christmas fabric.  Christmas fabric is one of my "many" favorite kinds of fabric.  I want to someday make a large Christmas quilt. 

This is Snowfriends designed by Lynda Howell and published in the Nov/Dec 09 issue of  Quiltmaker.   I hate snow, but I love snowmen.  When I saw this wall hanging I knew I had to make it. 

I wish I had used a different color for the roof.

The original pattern did not use this "saying", but I wanted to use it, so I did.

I used a type of material that is off white and roughly woven for the embroideries.  At the moment I can't remember what you call it.  lol  I'm sure you know what I mean.  : )   I quilted it with plain stitch in the ditch and it hangs in the bedroom that is my sewing room.  The first of December I will move it to the dining area where the fall wall hanging is now.

Now I'll have to see if I can figure out Mr Linky--this is a new thing for me.  I hope you enjoy looking at all the Christmas quilts.

Christmas in July

I made a quick trip to a small town about 25 miles NE from the ranch for extra lunch supplies.  The combiners are coming to try our spring wheat.  I chose this town for shopping because the "Quilter's Corner" is having a 3 day Christmas in July event.  It is 98 degrees and the humidity feels like 98 too.  They were all decorated for Christmas, playing Christmas music and wearing Christmas aprons.  Darn-no camera.
There were lots of new Christmas fabrics, samples and kits.  Of course, I needed some things.  Isn't it our duty to support these small local shops?

I'm a sucker for a snowman.  This is a cute panel of eight.  I bought matching fabric to make simple runners for quick gifts. 

This little kit caught my eye for a quick gift item too.    I love those little pattern cards from Pieced Tree patterns.  I have a couple others that are quick runner patterns.  I have quite a bit of Christmas fabric in my stash.  I'm picturing fussy cutting the main square with a design for some more gifts. 

I picked up this flannel to make some burp clothes to go with our shower gift.   Yes, I do have flannel in my stash, but this was just so nice and soft---love Moda flannel.

Guess what?!  They offered me a job at the quilt shop!!  I really wish I could--what a dream job.  Of course, I know I would spend all my wages there.  lol  I haven't brought it up to DH.  They are looking for someone to fill in occasionally.  I doubt I will.  If I had spare time I'd be sewing myself.  It made me feel good to be asked anyway.

I stopped for a java slush---mmmm so refreshing.   The wheat isn't dry enough, so no lunches to make today. :(

Peanut and I are fighting.  I moved the kittens out of the closet and back into their box.  There was hardly any room  for them in that closet.  I scooted the box under the computer desk.  They have been there all week.   I came home from town and no kittens in the box. 

You can see she's not pleased with this arrangement.  She moved them all to under the bed.  I moved them back to the box.  They are all under the bed again.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but they can't be under the bed.   And she does not want them in the box.  We need to come to a compromise that will make us both happy.  Maybe the box in the closet?

The babies are growing like weeds.  Their eyes are open.   It is so funny to watch them fight with each other and tumble around on their unsteady legs with chubby tummies.

Well, back to fighting with Peanut and figuring out a compromise.  Hugs.............................