Monday, November 28, 2016

Wow! The People Have Spoken!!!!


I am shocked! Imagine my surprise when I checked my email and there were like 75 responses (I think there may be even more today) to my question! I think I struck a nerve!
Today's post will be another picture heavy Christmas post as I respond to you all. This is my current quilt that I am trying to get finished this week. I have the perfect spot to hang it. It was originally going to be a bit bigger but for now it is smaller with the idea of making a larger one down the road.


So from what I gather, most of you like the coziness and personal side of a blog. There seems to be a backlash against the other types of social media. Someone asked me is that an age thing? Another good question, maybe I should have a survey? What do you think? Do you want to know? I do!
I added a poll so go ahead and vote! It is in the upper right hand side of the blog.
Above is a pincushion for a friend, isn't it cute? The pattern is in the Quilts and More magazine that is out right now. It's super simple but very charming, in my opinion.....


It also seems like most of you don't like the idea of someone trying to sell you something or all the ads all over the blogs, I find those annoying too.  Those of you that do use Facebook like to keep track of family and friends more than quilting things, though some are in quilt groups that are private.
This is my windowsill above where I write my blog. The trees are from Target a long time ago.


Almost everyone who weighed in on Facebook agreed it has been ugly with a capital U these past few weeks. Many along with me have stopped looking at it, or never look at it.
I love cutting the greens off my evergreens and adding a little sparkle to my kitchen. The beautiful sparkly picks came from Waterloo Gardens, a local placed that closed and I miss it very much. They always had those special items you couldn't find anywhere else.


I do hope some of the blogs I don't see out there anymore come back. I like them as much as you do. Google Reader did make it easier to read them and I just never check Bloglovin.
I love these containers with Kosher salt for snow, easy and cute. A great way to highlight special or antique ornaments.


I promise you I am not going anywhere and will continue to blog. I feel like Sally Fields "they like me, they really like me!"I enjoy it and love feedback from my readers, so be sure to leave me a comment! If you are a no reply commenter I can't email you back just so you know.
I have a lot of Christmas in the kitchen because we spend a lot of time in here! I like to mix the pastels of the 1950's along with the red and green.


If you have not tried Instagram give it a try. It is not hard and it is fun, it's a bit like blogging lite! You can find me at Pinkadotquilts.
I am not sure about this tray arrangement. I want to put some greens on the bottom but it looks a little like the "leftover tray", which it is!


Thank you for taking the time to comment. I read each and every one but could not possibly answer them all. I always value you all your opinions.
One stocking for each of my 4 children along with some snowmen I have collected over the years. They are from MODA a few years back.


You all have inspired me all over again to blog more often and look for some interesting things to show you. I am going to try and do some more tutorials, everyone seems to like those! I hope you have enjoyed this tour and I will be back!
This is one of my all time favorite quilts. To me red and green is not just for Christmas but all year long.
Okay back to work, so I have something to blog about!

Kelly

Friday, November 25, 2016

I Just Want to Know


I have a question out there for all of my readers.......do you still read blogs? What is your go to place for all things quilting/sewing?


I know I have asked this question before but I feel like blogs have really gone by the wayside. Has Facebook or Instagram taken over?


I will admit I love Instagram. It's like eating M&M's easy and satisfying. Little bits. A very little time commitment.



I will tell you I very, very, very much dislike Facebook. Especially after the election (PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND ABOUT THE ELECTION AT ALL) everyone is so wound up and I can't take it so I hardly even look at it anymore, only when necessary. I think it is terrible that people are unfriending people, uninviting them to Thanksgiving and outright fighting! How did this happen that it is ok to do these terrible things? I think it has driven people apart more than bring them together, no thank you!

If I didn't need it for my quilt guild I would delete it all together. Where do all those people come from that I am not following?????? I also read that FB makes people feel more depressed......maybe all the comparison? I am seriously considering deleting everyone except the quilt guild that sends notifications about meetings etc.


Instagram on the other hand is so much better. Only the people I want to follow show up on my feed. I can have 10 or 1000, the choice is mine. It's easy to delete them if they show too many things I am not interested in. I also learn about so many new things, instead of people trashing each other. If they do start it is a simple delete.


I know many of you still love blogs and I do too.


I know I have been slacking.....


I totally forgot about these last 2 quilts, I really like them!


I talked to Barb of Fun with Barb about this when she was here last week. She also says the same thing about blogging.


So as you scroll through this rambling post I thought it would be fun to make it a picture heavy postof old pictures  and you could skip reading it if you wanted and just look at the pictures (-:  I really am going to try harder to blog but I will say sometimes I have nothing to show you!
Please feel free to leave your thoughts and ideas about all social media and quilting/sewing I would love to hear what you think!
Today is Friday and my family is celebrating Thanksgiving today. We started the tradition when they all started getting married and had to decide where to eat or eat at both family houses. I remember as a young mother how stressful it was lugging the kids to 2 houses and being uncomfortably full. This has worked out well for our family and ends up being a very lovely day with all my children, their spouses and all the grandchildren. It's a win-win!

Kelly

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Thankful


Grandchild #8

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It is all about family and good food. As this year comes to an end I am very grateful for each and every family member, they are the most important people in the world to me.
We look forward to a new baby in the new year and all the wonderful things that life brings to all of us each and every day.

Griffin

Cameron and Jaxon

All of them!

Elliot and Griffin

Maddy and Finn

Fallon

Colin and Jaxon

Caitlin, Jim and Dylan

My niece's wedding

Elliot, Jenny and Cameron

Fallon and Johnson

Dylan and Mary

Maddy and Finn

Griffin, Elliot and Maddy

Dido and Finn

Maddy

Grammy with Cameron and Jaxon
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Kelly

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

We Gather Together......


Thanksgiving is my favorite of all the holidays. It's about family and good food. It seems a little wrong to be posting about Christmas trees now, but as quilters we all know you can't wait to make a Christmas quilt if you want to use it this year. At least that is the hope.


So I dug out a pile of Christmas/winter fabrics (notice there is blue in there too) with the intention of doing something with them but I was not sure what....then I saw a post about these blocks on Diary of a Quilter I instantly wanted to make it because, you don't use a pattern, they are little bit off, and it would be fun to use all these fabrics.



So you make two opposite blocks at the same time, which is great!



I have decided to make a change, I am not using the measurement for the trunk and will just cut whatever size I want and I am making it black instead of brown. I will also not be crazy about making sure that it is centered exactly under the tree.

Barb Vedder and Cheryl Lynch

So many of you know that Barb from Fun With Barb came to my guild Penn Oaks Quilters on Monday night. She gave a really fun lecture and we highly recommend her. On Tuesday we took her to Lancaster for lunch and to see the sights. She loved the horse and buggies!


I was pulling out a quilt for Monday night and this tree literally fell on top of me. I decided to leave it out, but I am not turning on the lights......yet.

Kelly

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Winner!



I have never been a fan of everyone gets a trophy but I have to say each and every comment was a winner!
There is no right or wrong answer and each one was so on point. Quilting can be whatever we want it to be. That is what makes it fun and interesting. I hope you all will continue to do what makes you happy traditional, modern and everything in between!

The winner is Nyla. Please send me your address!

Kelly

Monday, November 7, 2016

Oh My Gosh!


This mess is making me crazy. I have realized that I really do like clean surfaces. The question is keep the bundles together or split them up? What do you do?


I also have a baby quilt to make for my daughter's long time friend. They have known each other for 27 years. I am excited they are having babies at the same time. Both are not finding out if it's a boy or a girl!


I have made a dent in these HST but am realizing there are many more to make if this is going on a bed! It is a nice long term, no thinking kind of project.


My design wall is mostly cleaned off. The promise of a new day, a new project or maybe even finishing a UFO.
Please don't forget that I am having a giveaway on my last blog post. Remember there are also a few surprises! I will be pulling the name on Wednesday. It has been fun reading through the comments and I agree with all of them!

Kelly