This and that........

Still playing catch up here, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.  

My favorite vase dressed up for winter.......

I don't know about you all, but I really don't make "New Year's Resolutions".  That being said, there are things that I would like to integrate into my lifestyle for the New Year.

First and foremost, I would like to continue to deepen my spiritual journey.  Part of this will be a continuation of counting my blessings and working through Ann Voskamp's Devotional book along with consistent studying of The Word.  

Because we have been so blessed, we felt the desire to pass some of those blessings along by adopting a young girl from El Salvador through Compassion International.  I look forward to being a part of her life and her a part of mine.

As mentioned in my previous post, I have also chosen a word(s) that will be my theme for living this year.  It is "Be Still", coming, of course,  from Psalm 46:10 - "Be still and know that I am God".  I pondered long and hard about the word(s) to choose that would impact the way I live my life this year, and, as is frequently the case, God supplied it to me in a quiet moment.  Be still............2013.

A couple of years ago I posted concerning my desire to make a difference for our environment.  We have made progress in this area.  In the past 1 1/2 years we have reduced our trash by two thirds by composting and recycling.  I have to tell you, I was amazed, I mean, we are not fanatics.  I thought that we might reduce it by one third, but never this much!  Let me share with you one of my favorite compost/recycle tips.  I looked around the internet for a "cool" (meaning attractive) compost bin and was taken aback at the prices!!  After determining that the bin would be kept under the kitchen counter, the question became "why spend that kind of money on something you don't see?".  After more surfing the web, this idea appeared and it has worked out beautifully:

Yep, a recycled coffee container lined with recycled bread bag........double whammy!  Works great, no odors escape and it washes nicely........best of all, free and recycled.....and stores neatly under the kitchen sink.  The chickens have also helped us with our composting journey :-)) and are providing plenty of lovely, delicious eggs for us, our family and friends.

We continue to garden and freeze our own veggies.  We are, in fact, still enjoying our garden's bounty with mixed greens, collards, spinnich and salad greens.  The chickens are enjoying them, too.  This is some of the crisp, fresh lettuce.

And, consequently, I am cooking more fresh food.  Even doing some bread baking and more "from scratch" cooking.

This year I plan to seek out more earth friendly products that are MADE IN THE USA.  Our first purchase was a recyclable, Made in the USA shower curtain liner.  On a trip to Office Depot this week there was a nice package of Burt's Bees products on sale for 1/2 price.......nice goodies like hand salve, lotion, body wash, lip balm.......perfect!!  I am on the way.

Christi added to my Santa collection with this wonderful Nativity Santa.  These guys remain on the buffet year round.  They are far too wonderful to pack away.  And they are Made in the USA (Indiana to be exact) by artisan  Patti Beck, Herbs and Clay Pottery.

We brought in the New Year very quietly here, along with Robert and Sara Ashley, who were mostly glued to electronics for the night.  Except when they were eating or Robert was showing off his Gangnam dance moves :-))

And so, I think I have finally caught up.  Perhaps I can keep up now.  I do enjoy visiting with you.

GRATITUDES:

A clean sewing room.

Enjoying the antics of chickens free ranging the garden.

Sweet memories of my mother who would have been 101 years old on January 4th.

Take care,

Jennie

Project Update

Seems that everyone has lots of resolutions for the New Year when it comes to their projects.  I, of course, would like to finish every UFO, make a dent in the number of kits I have piled away and deplete my stash in general.  That, however, is not my goal for the New Year.  This year, in keeping with my word of the year, BE STILL (yes, I know it is two words, but it is still "my word"), I want to simply enjoy the process.  To touch my fibers, relish each stitch and loop, to sit quietly with my work and not feel frenzied about what I accomplish and what I don't.  It will take a different mind set, but I think that it will be worth it.  After all, my needlecrafts are hobbies, not jobs.........meant to be relaxing and pleasurable.  To Be Still...........my goal for 2013.

2012 was an extremely productive year, and I am pleased with the 41 projects that I completed.  Not all were large, but finished is good, and each one counts.

Now, for a little project update........

Thanks to buddying with my online friend, I finished Sap Bucket, my third block in the Primitive Garden Quilt.  I do love the look of wool on homespun and the block was a pleasure to work on.

I fell behind on the Kisses from Your Beloved BOM due to missing a few classes.  I still lack two blocks, but it won't be hard to get them done this month.  Next month will be the final BOM, then these nice blocks will be ready to set!

The scroll runner is coming along.........only four more scrolls and some background before the hooking is done.  It has been a long haul, but the result is really exciting.  Eric will be teaching a class in Atlanta next week and I can hardly wait for him to see the progress.

This Turned Twill woven tablerunner was my first project on the sweet Ashford tableloom.  It is not perfect, but it was good enough to become a Christmas gift for daughter, Christi, who wove a bit back in college.

Five of these little Nativity candle mats (pattern by Bareroots) were gifted for Christmas.  I wish I had made one for myself......maybe next year.

First finishes for 2013 are these two pillowcases that I whipped up last night.  They were supposed to be for the granddaughters for Christmas (grandsons had already received team pillowcases), but it just didn't happen.  At any rate, they are done, cute and I think the girls will like them.....particularly since they have their favorite colors........turquoise blue and purple.

As I mentioned, next week we have a three day rughooking workshop in Atlanta with Eric Sandberg.  I already have my pattern and hopefully most of my wool.......everything is all packed and ready to go.  Part of the "enjoy the process" idea.........don't wait till the last minute to prepare and it will be lots more fun.  I am really looking forward to being with friends, seeing Eric and hooking!!

On the quilting front, I plan to get the two blocks that I am behind on in my BOM done and work on a little UFO for a special someone.  It is so cute that I can't imagine why I have never finished it!!  Will hopefully be able to show you soon.  And I will enjoy the process.

GRATITUDES:

Lazy days.

The luxury of a pedicure.

Rose scented lotion, soft and smooth on dry winter skin.

Take care,

Jennie

Jayne Hester Class

Right in the midst of the Christmas season........with shopping and decorating left to do.......I paused for four days of hooking.  Just how self indulgent was that????  Merry Christmas, Jennie!!

Jayne was a grand teacher and I can't begin to say how very much I enjoyed her class.  Learned so much about primitives and chosing neutrals and primitive colors and what makes a primitive versus a folk art rug.  Besides that, this woman is FUN!!!!  I look forward to another class from her in the future.

Deste and Jayne

Jane B. with her lovely little sailing ship.

Yours truly.

Kathie, still in shock because she can't use her spot dyes :-))

Jayne and Mary

Millie

Here are a few of Jayne's rugs:

Love this background.

And, this is my rug.  The pattern is by Maggie Bonanomi and was intended for wool applique, but with a bit of enlarging, adapted perfectly to hooking.  It is primarily hooked with 9.5 strips.  That is pretty incredible in my estimation!  I can't believe I got that detail with such large strips.  And they were easy to pull up.

On Thursday following the workshop, we had our Dogwood ATHA Christmas Luncheon at the Atlanta Country Club.  As always, the food and ambience was wonderful and the club was decorated beautifully.  Vicki, Jan, Laura, Kathie and I went together from our small hooking group.

GRATITUDES:

Being able to relax and spend time with my grandchildren.

A caring nation.

Hope.

Take care,

Jennie

Happy New Year

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

I, obviously, had trouble keeping up with posts the past couple of months.  My intentions were good.......but, well, it is just life I guess.  At any rate, here is Christmas.

The Estes

The Hornes

The Cates

Ricky & Colton Adcock

Looking forward to 2013 with all of my blogland friends!!!

GRATITUDES:

Family, friends and home.

The open slate a new year offers.

The aroma of bean and ham soup emanating from the crockpot.

Take care,

Jennie

Catching up......

Alas, it has been far too long since I posted.  So many things have happened and life is so good.  The days are full and happy and blessed.

For tonight, I will try to play catch up on my projects.  Lots going on here this month, with the routine projects being set aside for the most part.  But last month, much progress was made.

A lovely week long trip to Hilton Head with four hooking friends lent to a great deal of progress on the scroll runner.  It will be set aside now until after Christmas, but I can see an end in sight and it is pretty exciting!!!

This little wool appliqued cardinal door hanger (pattern from Primitive Quilts & Projects) was a hostess gift for Nancy, who so generously invited us to spend the week with her......hooking, shopping, eating and generally just having a grand time.

The second Primitive Garden block was finished in November......it is the Geranium block.  I think the ticking background fabric is just perfect for this block.  All of the pieces are cut out for the December block and hopefully it will get done after the Christmas rush.  I had really forgotten how much I like this quilt and am glad to be working on it again.

Had a request for a quilt as a Christmas gift from a special guy in my life, so I came home from Hilton Head and got it done and off to the LA quilter last week.  The pattern is, of course, Ohio Star.  I made it using the Square in a Square Ruler and it really made it easy.  Wanting it to look masculine,  I chose the darker colors and included my favorite black and tan pheasant toile from Jo Morton.  I was pleased and I do hope he will be.

Finished the stitching around blocks 6 & 7 of Jan Patek's Oakleaf & Pomegranate BOM.  I still need to do the November blocks (yes there were two in that one), but again.......after the holiday rush......by that time I will have December's block, too.

I have to admit that I am having trouble getting into the Christmas spirit this year........despite spending hours making ribbons for the church last week.  I don't have a single decoration up!!!  Maybe this weekend.........

While Christmas shopping eBay, I ran across this cute vintage Japan wallpocket that I just couldn't resist......Merry Christmas to me :-))

Enough catching up for now.  See you again soon.

GRATITUDES:

Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts.

The sight of chickens foraging in the garden for the first time.

Young women with the vision and faith to go out and raise a lot of money for a very special charity.

Take care,

Jennie