I survived Christmas!

Yes folks - it's true .... I have survived another holiday season - how about you ? The first week has been a blur, with finishing up all my "projects", gift shopping, house cleaning and other chores the time has flown by! Here's hoping next week is more relaxed as I need some down time!!! Above is the final Tiskit a Tasket BOM. Yup ! I finished it in one year! I MET THE CHALLENGE - WooHoo! I don't think the other two ladies in my challenge group accomplished it, as a matter of fact I think they quietly dropped out of the challenge - party poopers!
I am so proud of myself, even with totally inadequate
finishing instructions I managed THE FIRST TIME
to get all the blocks together in the correct order and with the seams going in the correct direction! A first for me!!! I originally chose a blue with red somethings as the cornerstone blocks. They looked good together on my cutting board, but after I got them all together and on the design wall the blue was too strong. So, a quick trip to the local fabric store and I was able to find a suitable replacement which I think works better. And, since it was on sale for $3 a meter (yahoo!) I purchased enough for it to be the backing!
Who knows, you may just see this one done real soon! As always I have made the requisite resolution to NOT BUY ANY MORE FABRIC (insert uproarious laughter here). Ok, I do have that gift certificate from the sister to one of our local quilt fabric stores .... but after that !
Anyway, I think I have enough on my plate for the new year. I have an oriental panel to quilt for the mater, something I should make for Quilt Ontario 2011's invitational show (as yet undecided, but I have a few ideas), a quilt display at the library to arrange, and the invitational show to manage! By the end of May I will be ready for a grand vacation!

Happy New Year Everyone
and happy quilting!

A Window with a View ...

This is currently the view from my sewing room window. That's snow hanging over the eaves! Makes ya feel in the mood for the holidays - so, having found an old cross stitch I'd forgotten about I decided to make a wee door hanging for the mater's apt. door. I cropped it down a wee bit with the pinking shears, found some red Christmasy fabric for the borders and used some leftover blue binding I had made about 10 years ago. (I'm glad now that I kept that binding all these years). Overall I'm rather pleased with the results ... Just the right size, feels wintery and snowy and Christmasy to me - what do you think? TTFN

Snow, Snow and more snow!

So we are now into our third snow day .... and I have to admit. besides the D$#^@ shoveling I'm not actually hating it - feels almost like an early holiday ;) I have managed to take care of lots of wee niggling chores which I had fallen behind on, and this is good since it's the busy season. Have missed a lunch, two dinners and our Christmas theatre outing ... but most have just been postponed, so nothing tragic yet. Spent another 2 hours digging the car out - again! The snow drifts were up to the door handles! Yikes!
Then again, I can honestly say I haven't missed the library ... just last week there were two dramatic news stories involving libraries. The first was about two students at Queens University who fell through a skylight. One was killed and the other injured seriously. That happened at my library a few years back but the young person did not die - I believe he was injured for life though! The other news story was of a man who was killed by a crossbow - yes a crossbow - while sitting reading in the main branch of the public library in TO. Yes, I said a crossbow! Who said working in a library was a safe job!!!
TTFN

T'is the Season

T'is the season - the pater dropped by with my yearly Poinsettia. This year I inserted it into my glass globe which I've been keeping on my table. Last year I filled the globe with large pine cones and a read and gold ribbon. I like this year's version. Thank's Dad!
Finished off the Holsteins so got busy and made up
two place mats. The mater purchased machine lace panels with a variety of holiday themes. When she downsized her home I "inherited" the panels. Last year I made the mater a door hanging. I used plain red behind the panels and scrap Christmas fabric on either side. I used another Christmas scrap for the backing and more for the bindings. My quilt guild donates these place mats to Meals on Wheels to add to the Christmas dinners! I have two panels left, wonder what else I can do with them - any ideas or suggestions?
Even my indoor plants think it's the season ... my "Christmas" Cactus has decided to blossom. No ... I can't take any of the credit, actually, neglect seems to be what this plant likes - and I think it worked again this year!
Well, it may be the season but I have to admit I HATE the SNOW! It has snowed here for hours, and I've shovelled twice already! Phew! Supposed to snow again tomorrow - all day. Oh NO! Wish me luck!
TTFN