Thursday, December 31, 2020

I LIke Thursday # 225

 

I like Cookies especially sugar cookies. I tried a new recipe and put hershey's peppermint kisses on them!

I tried a cream cheese cookie recipe too, and we LOVE them

recipe source https://preppykitchen.com/wprm_print/28267

all of us

nothing in there I can't have!

we made salmon for Christmas dinner and I like having a friend (pugmom Nancy) who's husband Mike  is a great cook, telling me how to prepare it.

 put parchment paper on the baking sheet, mixed sea salt and fresh ground pepper, sprinkled that on and put a pat of butter on top. Bake for 10 min, add lemon slices and bake til internal temp is reached!

Tomorrow we hope to have traditional black eyed peas for luck, collar greens to bring us money, and sweet things. 

I like my current Ebook

The Last Mrs. Summers - Bowen, Rhys

and my audio book

I like having the whole new season of the Crown to watch over the week

I like the free workshop on being creative with https://womanunleashed.com/

I like all the speakers but especially Tamara LaPorte's lessons!

I loved sharing a zoom game night with our friends Rose and Bob this week. We all had a glass of wine of our choice, snacks and played trivia. 

Milo's Moments

I mean who doesn't like the sound of shredding paper??? I got a new lamb ball, a fox skin toy, and a kong bone toy which is being taste tested above!  And had to be taken out back to see it's new yard!

get one HERE  for your pup!

I'm famous now that I'm in da movie !!! I like opening gifts! watch me!

and then a romp teasing Daddy with my new toys!

Mama's friends have a list of likes too...

musings of a menopausal melon 

 


Joining these parties! y'all come!


Saturday, December 26, 2020

sewing saturday

 

Sleigh Ride 20" X 25"
For this week's sewing round up, I am sharing this year's finished Christmas quilt. 

It took longer to quilt than I thought it would, because it needed a lot of stitching. I used all metallic threads for sparkle, and added in one couching thread as reins. 

While quilting I folded the backing up to cover loose batting and liked the bold bright red, so I used that to machine sew a binding on with a buttonhole stitch. To do that, you sew the binding to the back of the quilt, pull the finished edge around to the front and use a decorative stitch to tack it down.

I have had that lighter blue fabric for a while now and it's such a pretty scene  I never used it... til now. I"m happy I did!

All the little bits are fused to the scene in applique and the pattern was very fussy to make. It's been sitting in the stash for years wondering how I'd finish it. 

I also collected these little christmas bulbs years ago, and was happy to have the right amount to add to this quilt. That little bit at the bottom is all that is left of a Debbie Mumm print, also stashed and stored for years!!

Hanging on the wall


I have a lot of fabric stashed and stored and some people might say it's too much. 

I think it's my wonderland of possibilities

The Rainbow Scrap Challenge is a starting point for me each year. Angela chooses a color of the month and encourages us  to use our scraps in that color in our own way. I have done this for years now and it gives me a focus and reason to sew in times when it's hard to focus. I know sometime I will just do those blocks in those colors... so there is always a project to work on.

HST cut-off project this month

Since the link party is weekly,  I choose 3 or 4 blocks or projects to do each month. This year I did Lozenge blocks, mini hst quilts from those, Improv log cabins, flying geese and picked up Deb's endless star hand piecing blocks to mix in. 

 This month was to use dark neutrals...and I almost missed doing some log cabins or geese. I sewed these two blocks last night while listening to the end of my audio mystery book, and it gave me a lot of satisfaction to just sew after a busy day.

I want to start sewing some of the chosen logs and endless stars together into units next. 


 

I've practiced so many craft and art forms over the years, but my love of fabric remains strong.



I have designed paper piecing patterns before but this is a different way to do it...

 this woman explained how to design your own paper piecing foundation pieced pattern

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_DobhnZNL0
 

Do you have goals for a new year in quilt making? Are you planning to explore a new craft in 2021? Are you considering reorganizing your studio space this year? I'd love to know what your plans are! 

LINKING TO

oh Scrap Sundays 

Friday, December 25, 2020

fun on Friday


deceivingly domestic: What was in our Cookie bags-Melted snowman brownies
the warmest Christmas wishes


 

The Most Incredible Gingerbread Houses – Far Too Good To Eat - Renshaw  Baking
the small house movement




12 days of Christmas like you've not heard it...

 

What do you call cutting down a Christmas tree? Christmas chopping! 

What goes “Oh, Oh, Oh”? Santa walking backwards!

 

from Jennycookies


 

remember ugly sweater parties?

Jersey cows model matching Christmas jumpers - BBC News

 

from the Biden house... wishes for a merry Christmas




Thursday, December 24, 2020

I Like Thursday #224

 

welcome to this week's list of likes... 

I like glowing trees in the entry lighting my way at night.

I like trying new recipes like the date, cherry, coconut bars here


Milo: Me too... I like Mama's baking and licking spoons

I love fresh citrus this time of year!

I like hickory farms turkey sausage slices on crackers with pepper jelly

I like finishing old project and hanging them up right away! (close up pics Saturday)

I like sketching faces while I watch videos on line... looking at what makes a person unique is a good exercise 

I like this view as we come in the front door

I enjoyed watching the finale of several shows like the Bachelorette last night. I loved her choice and that most of her choices were fine men as she is a fine strong woman.

I like watching the Time Team again, found more episodes and I love anthropology. I like The South Westerlies show on BBC, and that there is to be a Call the Midwife special on Christmas day on PBS. 

I like that DH is off the week between Christmas and New years so we can relax, watch movies, try recipes and did I say relax? 

My book on hold came in!

 almost finished with this audio book

I liked talking to four friends all on Tuesday this week!

heartwarming videos of love....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdU3dLZWso0

I'm feeling broken of body this week, lots of problems so I am feeling my age, and enjoyed this... 

Christmas in the 1950's... and as those things go, in families, your traditions continue into the future... I fondly remember the tree glistening with tinsel.... placed on a branch one by one, not thrown on as an entire package mind you. That was before the later 60's when we got that gold tree with the three color wheel that shown on it!


  toys from the 1950's... fun music to go with lots of memories

 I wish you all happy holidays however you are spending them. We can still find happiness as we stay safe at home, and we are loved no less for staying home this year. 

being VERY good for Santa!
Y'all stay home, pet your furbabies, eat good food, listen to pretty music and I'll see you soon!


Please visit these people keeping lists of their own this week!

 

  Linking to

                                   

Sunday, December 20, 2020

Merry Christmas questions for you!

 


 questions from Sunday Stealing

What’s your favorite thing about the holidays?
A: they are pretty... people laugh more and have hope. They think of others as they think of gifts to buy them. The traditions bring back fun memories of childhood. Sparkling ornaments like dozens of earrings on a tree. Lights twinkling in dark yards, I wish would stay up through the winter. Greenery brought into the house, smells of cookies and pine and funny movies. 


Do you send out Christmas cards and if so how many do you send?
A: I always did til this year...I love to get cards and give them. I think about the person as I write a note inside, and it's the only time some of us keep in contact. 


Be honest: holiday newsletters. Love ‘em or hate ‘em?
A: depends on the newsletters. When they brag I don't enjoy them much. When they take me through the highlights of the year, I like them immensely. Like getting a long letter. 
I was a nanny in Edmonton, Alberta... the family sends a newsletter every year and now those girls are grown with children of their own, and their parents are busy still and it's a good thing to catch up after all this time!


Be honest: photo cards. Love ‘em or hate ‘em?
I love getting pet photo cards, they are adorable and inventive


How soon do you start shopping?
A: whenever I see something I think someone might like, all year, I get it and squirrel it away for holidays. Otherwise the big push to think of something for DH starts on Thanksgiving... he's a hard one to buy for as he purchases what he wants all the time. 
Finding a perfect gift is stressful but how I love shopping at the holidays... not this year of course, but in all others. The displays and music and people, getting a mall snack, watching the line for Santa... all fun to me.



Real or fake tree?
A: I love a real tree but all of us began to have horrible allergy symptoms after getting one. Now we have a beautiful TALL tree that lives in the Family room all year. Not turned on but like a ficus. 


When do you put up your tree?
A:I decorate it starting on Thanksgiving. Then add to it til I begin to sadly take down the ornaments.


When do you take down your tree?
A: at some point in January, the tree begins to look tired... around the 8th or 12th or so... and I take down ornaments (after all how sad is it to look up on a roof and see a Santa lit up in January?) but leave the lights on til end of the month


Describe your typical tree (size, decorations, type)
A: as large as the room will allow. We had a tall skinny white one in our tiny cottage in MD. We have a big full green natural one here in the two story family room. I love ornaments, and beaded garland, lights! (mainly white) that randomly twinkle. This tree came with lights that don't twinkle, but when those give out, the twinkly ones will go on. I have ornament spinners that gently twirl the ballerinas (now hidden in some basement box after our move) and lots of glass icicles that reflect light. 
I had the metallic tree with the three colored light shining on it, as a child and fondly remember being in charge of pulling each branch out of it's paper, and putting it in the stalk. 
Our old white skinny tree now has flamingo lights on it. 
 
I got a pink one at Michaels one year, and had to replace those pink lights last year, it holds poodle ornaments and sits in the front window on top of the treadle machine.


What do you top your tree with?
I like a star. Somewhere I have a star made of stars of every color



Do you put Christmas lights outside your house?
A: I have always done them, and love them, sometimes leaving white ones up to summer, then in summer enjoying the twinkling ones since there are no fireflies in this area. 
This year, we didn't do much, a tree out on back patio twinkles, and one set of snowflakes on the front railing. 
(To be very honest here on my blog, I feel beat up by the year, by the virus and by worry about the divisions among us)  Don't agree? lucky you, no need to comment then. 



Is there a wreath hanging on your door?
A: I love them and had a lighted one in MD but not here. I have a wreath over the mantle



Do you hang up stockings?
A: we have stockings, again hidden in boxes in the basement. I made one for my poodle this year and might get new ones for us made too.
I still love the knitted one my aunt made me when I was born... a scene with tree and santa made in wool!
stocking gifts are my favorite... lots of little special candies and toys and jewelry


Your favorite Christmas Movie(s)
A: I like seeing Sound of Music and the first Harry Potter each year, an love White Christmas about the inn in Vermont . I love the song "snow" sung on the train, and it's romance.

 

Be honest: A Christmas movie you hate

A: Anything scrooge (Christmas Carol).... and there are a million of them


Favorite Christmas Song(s)
A:  Silver Bells, Little Drummer boy, God rest ye merry Gentlemen, King Wencelas, Merry Christmas Darling (usually Karen Carpenter) this version by glee...

 

Be honest: If I hear this/these Christmas songs again I will throw up

A: grandma got run over by a reindeer

Give or Receive?
A: both!

Eggnog or Mulled Cider?
A:both!! 

Ham or Turkey?
A: turkey... (intolerance for pork causes that)  
 

Read answers by other bloggers HERE

Stay safe as you celebrate the season. Wear a mask in public to protect everyone at least during the season of love, you will visit with others again later. Be patient and notice all you still have including your life 

 

Saturday, December 19, 2020

Sewing Saturday... waiting for SantaPaws

 

HoHOHO! it's getting more Christmas-y around here. Milo is happy that he now has a stocking for SantaPaws to fill!

this...

was pieced into these

tops, then quilted to red lining fabric with shiny threads and stitched together into a stocking!

Let the fabric do the work for the back of the stocking, it's so doggy-cute!

and as you saw at the top, it's hanging on the mantle!

It's okay if you go back to baking again Mama!
 

I wanted to finish the UFO block I made years ago, and what do you do to one block to make it stand out?

I started with Christmas scraps to choose some borders, a blue with snow, a cherished winter santa scene (shown on right) and a fave border scrap! Pieced to make it large enough, the block was 15" square, now it's about 20" X 25" and pin basted for quilting...

with pretty threads and stitches

before I go in with free motion this afternoon. To my non sewing friends, that means I drive the stitching not the machine. This will look good in the stairwell to see every time we come down the stairs. I might even bind it with bright red fabric for fun, and attach the string of little colored lights I got years ago for an embellishment!

I meant to sew more this week, but got waylaid cooking and knitting. I'm starting another art course next week, free online through Amber Bonicci's site. In fact I have to go and start some eggplant parm now, and maybe make those sugar cookies too.

going to a party