Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! It is beautiful outside today in the Dakotas. A real Christmas storm is brewing, beautiful white snow is coming straight down and covering everything. When the wind picks up it will be a white out. It looks like all of us will be staying close to home tomorrow and Saturday. Guess what I am going to do? I am going to Sew!!!! Sit around the tree, with my diet pepsi , have the television on or Christmas carols and enjoy the day with my husband and dog!!!!!!! Hope your day is wonderful celebreating the birth of Our King!!!!!!!

Christmas Card and Ornament

 
Thank you Deb for the very cute Christmas ornament and card that you sent to me. I hung it on my tree right away, it is so cute and I think of you every time I sit and look at the tree. Thank you very much. You have a package coming in the mail too, I think it will be after Christmas!!! Merry Christmas to all who come here to visit.

Dye Candy selvages arrived!

 
I just received my box of dyed selvages from Chris at Dye Candy. Thank you so much it is gorgeous. It was just like Christmas opening up the box. While watching television I decided to sort the selvages, look who bounded onto the ottoman! Heinrich has been enjoying resting in them since. Chris cuts into the fabric, about 1/4 inch and then rips off the selvages. This keeps the fabric from twisting up on her. Please correct me Chris, if this isn't correct. She sells her dyed fabric from her etsy shop. It is lovely and she does a nice job. I used to dye fabrics about 10 years ago, and it is a process. I used Procion dyes with salt and soda ash to set the color. It seems to me that I ordered a box full of recipes with gradations in it to help get the correct color. You would take the amount of dye and half it each time to get the next lighter gradation. The instructions had all of the color gradations on it with the dye colors to use. A very good exercise in color. I first saw the materials in a quilt magazine that came out four times a year. It was so long ago that I can't remember the name of it.

McKenna Ryan Pattern

I bought this pattern two weeks ago when I saw it made up at Millend Textiles in Fargo. It was made with shades of purple and on the third panel there was some printing on the fabric. As I stood at the checkout I thought to myself, I have lots of batiks in the purple tones that would look great in that pattern and I could save myself some money if I used them up. Now I can't remember how it looked. I will have to go back to the store, 150 miles away, and look at it again. This time I am going to put my fabric in a bag and take it along and try and visualize what it will look like. It was absolutely gorgeous. I called yesterday, the salesclerk said that since they put it up on display the fabric literally flew out of the store and no remnants either.

Please Leave a Comment!!!

Please leave a comment along with your email address or your blogsite so I can come and visit you!!! I went to all of the sites yesterday that left a note and really enjoyed seeing what each of you had made. I have to limit my own viewing today as I need to get something done in my house and I have stayed up too late on my computer!!!!

Remember This Monkey!!!!

My friend Sandy made these monkeys a few years ago. At the time I thought they were the ugliest things I had ever seen. Yesterday I saw this fabric at the fat quarter shop and decided to order some. This morning my friend and I went out for breakfast, I mentioned the fabric, and now I have in my possession a new pair of socks and the directions to make the monkey. I think he is so cute!!!! I wonder how long it will last with my pooch around. I will have to set it up high so he doesn't take ownership of it and tear it to pieces. What do you think of my new friend??? Have a great weekend and have fun browsing at the quilt show.

Julia and Julie

It is a great movie! You have got to go, my friend and I went twice. Lots of fun, the music is great and the sets are well done. It is quite long, but you will enjoy it. I learned French a long time ago in college, it is surprising what you retain.

Quilt Guild Project

 
I joined a quilt guild earlier this fall up in Altona, Manitoba. Last night we received handouts with directions to do English paper piecing. It was a great time and a good chance to meet the other members. Probably my favorite part of the evening was sitting next to Sharon Schmidt and helping myself to some of her wonderful scraps. I took a few, like the cat,the red print and the turquoise pieces shown in the photo. To be nice, I left her a few of my mine that were done. It was the least I could do, after rooting through her container!!!!!!! The other members brought their show and tell pieces, they do very high quality quilting. I am glad I joined.During announcement time, I told everyone about the virtual quilting bee online and give them the web address as well as my own. One can spend lots of time sitting and viewing all of the beautiful designs.

Close-up of French Roses Fabrics

 

Virtual Quilting Bee-Click on the Button to Link

Virtual Quilt Show

There is a virtual quilt show going on. Please go to www.parkcitygirl.com to view the quilts. There are 600 entries so far. The deadline to put in your entry is this coming Friday. I have gone to view the quilts, a great selection, I saw a few that I really liked that were really modern in nature. I have chosen to enter the quilt that my sister made called French Roses. She passed away about a year and a half ago, we both had purchased the same fabrics to make this small throw sized quilt. I am just finishing mine up now, and am getting ready to send it to be quilted. This was a fun pattern to do and would be particularly good for beginners.

New Jelly Roll Ordered!

I ordered this jellyroll from Hancocks of Paducah. They had a good price on all of the fabric strips. These are so beautiful and will make a great looking project. All are Kona cottons. Anybody got any good ideas on what to make out of them?

I need to go on a fabric diet as well as a food one. Check out www.theangelandthepukelo.blogspot.com Deb has some good utube clips of Il Divo.

My Walking World

 

 

 

 

These are pics of Icelandic State Park. The park is located 6 miles from our home, so I have been going out there to walk with my dog each day. Weight loss is a real pain in the butt~ it is easier to think of walking to better your health and get fit. Walking over three miles a day is so much easier with a nice place like this to go. Heinrich roams free and I listen to my Ipod or the birds or whatever. There are many short trails or loops like this,and three main places to go , so lots of variety in choosing your path . There are inclines too, making some courses a little tougher than other.

Finally, A New Post

I saw this fabric while looking and drooling at new fabrics. IT is $55.00 a yard. I just about wet my pants!!!!!! I just love it and can imagine it in a lot of really cute things, but it will just have to stay on the shelf, I cannot afford it at or am willing to pay for it.

After a few days at Maple Lake, guess what came? Yoshiko Jinzenji fabric!!!! Yipee. and I have a line on a bunch of scraps that I am buying too. It will be fun to make something different for the quilt show next spring/ summer. I will post that fabric too in a bit.

Beth Moore Conference

It was a really great conference starting Friday night at 7:00 until 9:30 and then Saturday morning from 8:30 until after 12:00. On the way home, my friends and I talked about what we thought was the highlight of the conference. For me, it was when she talked about all of the spiritual warfare going on in the heavenlies, warfare being fought for each of us. She said that the moment a group of women she knew got together to pray in a small group, they actually heard a swoosh sound as swords were drawn above. That just sent chills down me when I heard that. It makes the bible verse Ephesiabs 6:12 really take on significance. "For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the authorities, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evin in the heavenly realms." Imagine sitting down to pray with your friends about your everyday troubles and imagine hundreds of angel warriors pulling out a big sword to fight off the evil that wants to destroy us!!!!!!!!! Take that to the spiritual bank!!!!!!

Elbow Update

This is week 3 of the broken elbow. Two more weeks to go with my arm in the sling. There was a little setback yesterday, so am icing today. Physical therapy is on hold for a while. So, my friends, I am sitting in the chair bored to pieces!!!!!!!! I have lots of ideas of projects lying in wait!!!!! Please leave a note as I am bored and would love to visit your blog. Have a great day!!!!!!!!

Cute Project With Scraps

This was taken from the blog of fotaniche, or at least that is what I wrote underneath the bottom of the photo. Now I can't find her blog or address to ask permission to use her picute.I will keep trying to find her. Aren't these cute? You also need to click over on Tallgrass Prairie Studio and see what Jacquie just added to her blog. Great inspiration.

Christmas Runner

 
Here is a runner my sister and I did a few years ago, it is really a lot cuter in person. I would like to make another one and redo it with something a bit different. Any ideas?

Laugh for the Day!!!!

Giveaway!!!!!!!

I am going to host a giveaway and it is going to be a good one!!!!!! What would you like to see me give away? What is it that you would love to add to your fabric inventory? Perhaps you would like a piece of china painting from me!!!! Please leave your comments and tell all of your friends to stop by and leave me a note and I will post in two weeks from today,with the winner and the item!!!!!!! If there are lots of great suggestions, I will give more than one item away. Barb

"It is better to give then to receive!"

A Great Week!!!

This has been a great week! Many of you will wonder how I can possibly say that after all that has happenend in our household. But it truly has. People are so kind and always willing to go the extra mile for you. For instance, I went to the quilt show in Canada, and forgot my camera. Lori Hiebert volunteered to take photos for me, after I made up a list for her, and is going to send them to me to put on the blog. I took back some strawberry pails for the people at the local bank and guess what, Frieda, gifted me a large pail of the most beautiful strawberries you have ever seen!!!!! Then DH did the dishes for me and cleaned up the house and went to Music in the Park. WE had a nice time listening to the music, it was a gorgeous evening. Another friend brought over two meals, delicious, with another drop of fresh cherries later one evening. My swap partner sent me a gorgeous package, more fabric came in the mail, and my friends called from the library and gave me first chance on the new Quilt magazines to check out. The painting arrived and was to me a great treasure, I will love it forever!!!!Friends are driving me places and I am visiting with so many people and getting calls of encouragement daily.
Most of all, I am so happy not to have a cast, surgery, or lots of pain or have had a head injury or been severely hurt from my fall. God was watching out for me. I also hit DH vehicle while backing out of the garage, he laughed. Can you believe it? He didn't get mad!!!!!
Life is good. Deb from New Zealand (www.theangelandthepukeko.blogspot.com) has sent me some lovely notes and shared patterns with me . If I have forgotten anyone I am sorry, you are all the best!!!!

Morten Juvet

 

Many of the Norwegian bloggers may recognize this painting or work by Morten Juvet. Mr. Juvet is a famous painter who has work in many art galleries throughout Norway. For more information on his work, you may go to www.mortenjuvet.no to learn more about his work and exhibits. I recently purchased this painting and am enjoying it immensely. Not everyone in our home thinks it is a great piece of artwork. Guess who?

Fabricworm Delivery!

 
Yesterday, I also received a package from Fabricworm. She has a great shop on Etsy which I order many things from. I thought I needed more variety in my Spare Change quilt and also extra pinks and oranges for another project. These are all half yard pieces, which will be nice to have on hand.

More Photos

 

 

 

Here are a few more photos for those who could not distinguish everything in the last photo.

Two Wonderful and Generous Swappers!

Thank you so much Lisa and Sarah!!!! When I opened my package, I smiled and smiled as I opened all of the lovely items I received. Each one was so special and so nicely done!!!!! I laughed outloud when I saw the dog fabric,I absolutely love my dog, looking to see if there was a print that looked like Heinrich and also trying to think of how I would use it in a project to show all of you. The gift tags made out of paint chips was very clever!!!!!The chips were punched with a Christmas tree, I believe it is a punch from scrapbooking supplies! They added ribbons and wrapped everything up so lovely. This was a great swap, anyone who receives a special gift from both of you will be blessed. It really was uplifting and made my day when my husband brought in the mail

Update!

The doctor just called and the radiologist in Fargo said that my elbow was indeed broken. Luckily for me, it was a clean break, no cast and same treatment, sling and ice. I am so thankful and so cheerful, things could be worse.

Accident!

I tripped and fell last night just as I was finishing weeding the garden in front of our house. Unfortunately, I fell back on the cement and hurt my right arm and elbow just like Hillary Clinton. Fortunately, no fracture or hairline crack showed up on the ex ray , but I am in a sling with an ice bag sitting on the sota like Queen Bee. Just what can a person do with a right hand injury? Nothing but entertain all of my company who has come to see me and accept the wonderul gestures of food and good will. DH is busy doing dishes, putting away laundry and running errands for me. Life is good, the swelling is down tonight. Thank goodness for wonderful men. Poor Heinrich sat beside me outside last night and wouldn't go for help. Loyal man, my little furry child.

cute cupcake papers!

I have done nothing today, absolutely nothing!!!!! I drove out to the lake to see all of the spectacular Christmas in July lights and then came home and read blogs until I was blurry eyes. I saw these on poppytalk.blogspot.com. I will have to order some.

Exchanged Fabric Already!!

Jacquie from Tallprairiegrass.blogspot.com emailed me a great suggestion on how to swap my fabric. You have to be invited, so I sent in my request, got invited and swapped the fabric all within an hour!!!! It is a very reliable source she said. I will let you know how the swap goes. It is fun too look through everyone's fabric and see what everyone has left over and all of the up to date fabrics to choose from. Did you know that there is a big sale over at Pink Chalk?????

P.S. On the Fabric Exchange

I like the fabric I have listed under July 7!!

Fabric Exchange

 
"Kiwi" by Alice Kennedy is shown in the above photo. There are 6 pieces of assorted prints in half yard cuts. I would like to exchange it with other fabrics you don't like or some that are just sitting in your stash. It would be great to receive a box of your scraps or anything comparable in prints using orange or blue. I like bold colors and prints but especially like Amy Butler, Denise Schmidt, Kaffe Fassett. Please email me privately at my email address or leave a comment if you have anything available. It would be wonderful to mail this within a week from todays date!!!!! Happy stitching this weekend!!!!!!!!

An Unedited Version

 
The small quilt started like this, then I modified the bows for a totally different look to send to my swap partner. I bought the small gift bows uptown at the drug store and am planning on using them for another small quilt that needs a bow. The quilt is cuter in real life. The basic design is going to be modified again tomorrow in another project.

Swap Item is Done!!!!!!! YEA

I finally finished my items today and got them in the mail!!! I am so excited you have no idea!!!!!! Now to get photos downloaded so you all have a sneak peak is a real problem. Something must be wrong with my printer because two different cameras will not work !!!!!! This swap idea is great and I for the first time in a long time I get things done in a timely fashion!!! My items are not like my new swap partners, hopefully they will grow on her. What is the use in sending her things ike she already has?????? See you all tomorrow.

Dieting is Underway!!!!!

I thought I should tell all of you I am watching my caloric intake. Weight Watchers has a great program, I feel better and don't feel guilty about myself since I started. Walking a bit each day is a wonderful day to unwind and have a few minutes to oneself. This is a great photo of a few pieces of furniture I would like in my spare bedroom and another quilting project I have no time to do. This particular piece is from Syko in Norway. She has a great site to visit for inspiration. Thought you might all like another good idea. The blue fabric is great. I will post photos of sneak peaks of my swap tomorrow.

Michael Jackson

It was a nice funeral, very personal and well done with speakers and personal memories. But, I am sick of it, and actually have kept the television turned off the past week.

Working on my projects today was a total bust so I just put them aside. Tomorrow is going to be a big sewing day for me. Please go to www.theangelandthepukeko.blogspot and see what Deb is making. Very cute embroidery projects and a link to the source where you can make their purchase. She does nice work also. Lucky person who gets her swap item!!!!

 

I must have a thing for beds. I just love this one too.