End of Year Post

 

Our Christmas card this year. For those of you keeping track, upper left hand corner going clockwise----Jaxon and Cameron age 5 (they are twins),  Elliott 13 and Griffin will be 16 next week! Madison 13, Piper 1, Finnegan 5 and Brynn 3 and my oldest grandchild Fallon is 17!! Life is certainly better with grandchildren in it!

I definitely scaled back on the Christmas decorating this year. I focused on my kitchen table that is the heart of our home. Putting live plants there seemed fresh and just right, I love the simplicity. The beautiful nativity scene is a gift from my friend Stephanie all the way from Germany! I am hoping the amaryllis bloom in the next 2 days, my fingers are crossed.

Today I am cooking the things that can be done ahead. I am making Pavlova for dessert, 2 of them because everyone loves this! It's a little fussy, but mostly you need patience. Have you ever made it? Give it a try, it's light but yummy.

The new Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patters by Barbara Brackman is out and in color!

I have Electric Quilt and use it all the time. My guild did a Sew Along and I drafted most of the patterns on the program. They will also be offering software in 2021 that goes along with the book.

At this time of year sewing is on the back burner. This is a block of the month with Fig Tree Quilts. I am keeping up with this one! I think it ends in February or March.

We are starting to put the blocks together which I am glad so I don't have to make too many more blocks.

These are my Zoom blocks that I work on when we have Zoom meetings. I am almost finished the 10th one, I wonder how many more I will make?

I am still making the house blocks here and there. I have over 50 now.

My friend Cindy made this tub for me and it is perfect for storing the blocks so they don't get lost.

Even the inside is pretty.

I love this fabric by Cathe Holden. These are some labels for the back of quilts, but think of all the other things you could do with them.

This print features vintage paint-by-number paintings that are so fun.

This one features needlepoint. How cool would this be in a tote or purse?

I am trying to hold back with the cross stitch but it is hard! The patterns, the floss!!! It's all so great and so different from the 1980's.

This is a zipper pull that was made from a sampler image.

If you don't know, they now have cute little things like this to loop your floss onto. I don't want to tempt you but they sure are cute.

This year I have read 63 books! I think I will be able to finish this one in time to make it 64. This is pretty intriguing and an easy read. Do you keep track of your books? I do on Goodreads. I have started so many books that I have already read so this helps and I can also recommend books that I liked.

A while ago I posted a pattern for a quilt that I was working on that I called Pandemic. It was wildly popular, I sent out hundreds of patterns. Jayne sent me this picture of the quilt she made with the pattern as a wedding present. I think it is terrific! Thanks for sharing Jayne!

As the year comes to a close, I hope you find some good things to reflect on. I know everyone hated this year but I am choosing to look for the good things. Two really good things happened to me this year, so I am focusing on them. One I will share in the new year so stay tuned (-:

This morning 4 bluebirds were snacking on berries in the front yard. They were so beautiful against the white snow and the red berries, just an ordinary thing that made me feel good. I am going to keep looking for those kind of things.

I painted this the other day and have found that painting is very relaxing and very different than quilting. If you mess up usually you haven't spent months or maybe years of your life creating it. It's just paper and paint or fabric and we can always get more.

 

From my home to yours..... we wish you a very Merry Christmas! 

Kelly