Goodbye January

Yes, you are going in just a few hours. So hard to believe!!!

I am happy with myself because I accomplished the goals chosen at the beginning of the month. Trust me, goal setting is a slippery slope for me, so I am as pleased as punch.

The little charity quilt, which was my UFO Goal for the month over at

Patchwork Times  was bound and finished early in the month.

 

I vowed to knit up all of that dish & washcloth yarn by the end of the month. Twenty three wash/dishcloths later, I am done!!

 

And this is all that is left...

 

Note that those are tiny amounts...see the one inch squares on the cutting mat.

Then there was Cozy Christmas, which started the month as 4 finished blocks and some components. I have to tell you that I was down to the wire on this one. The borders went on this evening...LOL.

 

I still need to make the backing before it can head off to be quilted for next Christmas. I am linking up with 

One Monthly Goal with this one.

My last goal was to get all of the Lucy Boston blocks finished. I guess you could say that I sort of finished this one. I needed only two more blocks, and here they are...

 

But when I auditioned all of my blocks together, it was pretty evident that one of them was just too bright for the rest....

 

So, tonight I am working on a replacement.

I have tried several new recipes this month as I have been doing some purging of recipe books and the mounds of recipes that I tear out of magazines. Honestly, sometimes when I go back through them I wonder what on earth I was thinking! Out of the three that I tried this week, this Sourdough bread was the only keeper....and it was excellent!

 

Recipe can be found 

here.

Those who follow my blog know that my DSIL has a form of brain cancer known as glioblastoma. He has been in remission for several months while being treated with a clinical trial drug. Unfortunately his last MRI showed a suspicious area and he will be undergoing a biopsy soon. Prayers appreciated. You can read about their cancer journey at their Caring Bridge.

 

The good news is that Rob feels great. Here he is getting ready to make a Lularoe delivery for Christi.

Miss Mattie had another busy day. This seems to be her normal activity every night.

 

Hard life, huh?

 

Take Care,

Jennie 

Can it be????

I can hardly believe it is almost the end of January!!!! Where does the time go?

I have made a little progress here and there and am pressing to meet my January goals....we'll see.

I actually hooked a little bit last week. I can only manage about thirty minutes at a go, but I was able to complete five rectangles.

 

It is hard to appreciate progress on such a large rug, but moving forward slowly is better than not at all.  I really have to do something about that bright white.

Cozy Christmas has seen significant progress, too.

 

Only two borders to go. It could happen before Wednesday.

I am participating in 

Temecula's Wild Goose Wednesday.  It only requires 8 Flying Geese a week.

 

I am going with reds and creams/tans. My favorites.

 

Temecula is using a technique that turns out 2 1/2" x 5" Geese. I prefer to use the Easy Angle and Companion angle rulers, resulting in 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" Geese. Since it will be set in rows, I don't anticipate it mattering.  And I can cut all of the components from the 2 1/2" strips that I've been garnering from my scraps. I am fine if this scrappy antique reproduction quilt turns out a bit smaller. Or I can always add an additional row.

And my amazing, fearless Macy!!!

 

Performing as a flyer on the Senior Team.

 With her Mom after her Junior Team won First Place!

GRATITUDES:

• Winter sunlight breaking through the trees.
• Church sermon based on the construction of a quilt.
• A whole row filled with my family at church.

 

Take Care,

Jennie

Happy Birthday Dear Christi

Today was my dear, beautiful daughter's birthday...she is such a blessing!

 

We actually celebrated with family on Monday night dining on Chicken Enchiladas and Strawberry Cake.

 

So blessed to have my family close by to celebrate special occasions and everyday life.

I finished the appliqué on the Cozy Christmas blocks.

 

Now they are ready to become a top...

 

Which needs to happen quickly since making this a quilt top is one of my goals for the month.

Temecula Quilt Company's 

First Friday Sew Along seemed a good way to use up some of those scraps I had trimmed.

 

The first month's blocks eased us in gently with simple four patches sewed up into larger blocks. Two 6" blocks and a 12".  Hope I can keep up.

 

Had fun last night with the Farmer and Her Mother learning about healthy eating . A yummy dinner, too.

 

GRATITUDES 

• Family....can't say this too often
• Birthday celebrations 
• Snoring dogs

 

Take Care,

Jennie

Purple-RSC 2017

This week has slipped by like a thief in the night. Between my continued cleaning frenzy, and Can't Never Could and Master Gardener commitments, there has been little time for stitching. 

I did finish the January

Temecula Quilt Company Postcard mini in purple.....the RSC color of the month.

It is handquilted....not beautifully , but done...and ready to hang on a wall where I plan to do a grouping. Yay!! My second finish for 2017. 

Friend Laura put me on to this next treasure, and I immediately spent my Amazon gift card on it....

 

LOVE!!!!! It is just the right height for sitting in your comfy chair, adjusts nicely, magnifier and LED lights are heavenly...and it can be run on D batteries or electric cord. I love that it uses batteries and I don't have to deal with a cord. When I am done stitching I can just pick it up and put it out of the way. 

 

Christopher is playing basketball and loving it.

 

And this is my dear little Compassion child, Hazel, who lives in El Salvador. She has grown so much in the four years I have been sponsoring her!!! It is always exciting to get her letters and photos.  I would encourage you to consider sponsoring one of these worthy children. I have certainly been blessed by it.

I have accomplished a bit more this week and will share tomorrow.

GRATITUDES:

• The sweet smell of a clean house
• Girlfriend time with a dear daughter
• The funny mockingbird that is obsessed with our dining room window.

 

Thank goodness for friends!!!

Take Care,

Jennie

A New Year of Slow Sunday Stitching

I always look forward to the reminder that Kathy gives  us on Sundays.....to slow down and be more intentional in our stitching.

Today I am doing a little hand quilting on the January mini. And, goodness, do I need some practice.

 

Bought these garish pink pullers awhile back. This is my first chance to use them, and they are quite effective at helping to grasp the needle and pull it through. Linking up with 

Kathy for Slow Stitching Sunday.

When I was cleaning off my work table, I found this....

Drat!!! More dishcloth yarn. Will I ever use it all up???

Miss Mattie broke through the Invisible Fence today and ended up in the neighbor's pasture...in search of who knows what. And then she was afraid to come back over the line. Looks as though a little more training and voltage is in order. 

 

Take Care,

Jennie

Random Scrap Challenge 2017-Purple

This is the first Rainbow Scrap Challenge link up of 2017...the color of the month is purple.  Purple isn't my favorite color, but I decided to dip into my CW repro fabrics and kill two birds with one stone. You see, I am participating in the Temecula Quilt Company Mini of the Month , so I will use purple for this month's mini.  This is the quilt...

 

Here are the scraps I pulled...

 

And here is my little top all ready to hand quilt!

 

I also finished Number 3 UFO, the first one of the year..woop woop!!  I made binding, trimmed and stitched the binding for a guild charity quilt that had languished at my house for over six months.

 

Here are more of my Santas by Patti Beck, whose studio is Herbs & Clay Pottery in Sharpsville, IN. She doesn't have a website, but does have a FB page.

 

Save the Bees, a cause dear to Patti's heart.

 

Santa with cardinal and wreath.

 Santa with quilt.

 Santa with nativity.

 

Birdland Santa.

 

And the specially made Can't Never Could Santa in honor of Rob and Christi's nonprofit.

Off to watch more of "The Man in the High Castle ". 

Lauren got me hooked on this one.

 

Take Care,

Jennie 

Another day...

Not accomplishing much in the way of my stitching goals...three more dishcloths is it. 

I started the day with the Invisible Fence folks who came last week and enlarged our fence line to about 3 1/2 acres for these doggies. I spent last week training Daisy and Mattie. Today was the big day to see if they understood it. So far, so good. Now we have to work with Buddy, who will be more challenging because of his fear issues. I feel so much better knowing that they won't wander off property into the woods and get lost or shot by hunters.

 

Mattie was exhausted and needed some lap time.

I proceeded on to moving my Patti Beck Santas from the mantle to their new home in my dining room cabinet. I love them so much that I leave them out year around. I will share them with you over my next few posts.  Daughter, Christi, gifts me with a new one every year.

This is this year's....

 

 

Isn't the detail incredible?

 

This woodland Santa was my first one.

 

And, of course a Hooker needs sheep.

 

In fact, two with sheep and a little free standing companion.

Then it was washing all of the glassware, deep cleaning and cooking. No stitching. Maybe tomorrow...

We are expecting ice or snow down here in Georgia. And I am hoping for a full day in my sewing room.

GRATITUDES:

• Bread fresh from the oven
• The velvety softness of sweet Mattie 'a head
• Soothing lip balm.

 

From Bonnie Hunter.

Take Care,

Jennie

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