It's Beginning to Look a Lot-----------

Around six inches of snow fell here starting early in the evening yesterday.  Beautiful, but deep.  The service that takes care of our plowing was here bright and early so it would be no problem getting out.  That is one of the main reasons for condo living when you get older.

The little red berries showing up against all the white loveliness are on the mountain ash in front of my house. 

Ho! Ho! Ho!

A Beautiful Quilt

 First of all, I am sorry this is not a really clear shot of this gorgeous quilt, but I am certain you can get the idea of it's beauty.  Yesterday afternoon, my friend Leslie and her awesome daughter (what a terrific young woman!!) stopped by carrying something in a trashbag.  Leslie had written in a comment to one of my posts about something her BIL had given her and she was overwhelmed when she saw it.  It was this beautiful, crossstiched quilt in absolutely perfect condition with beautiful stitching.  A stunner!

 I took a couple of closeups and they are much more in focus.  Her BIL got this at a church auction and, if I remember right, it was done by two sisters and finished about thirty years ago when the sisters were in their seventies.  Evidently, the ladies had a falling out, and the quilt was never used.  It's exquisite.  It looks as if it was pre-marked - quilting lines and even lines to separate the blocks.  When you hold it up to the light, you can tell it is a whole cloth  and it may have been a packaged kit.  I have seen some quilts like this but never one so stunning.  It is so much prettier in one color than it would have been in multiple colors. 

Some of the blocks are repeated several time and others look like the same blocks but have different flowers or birds in them.   Leslie said she has so many times heard people say they have come into something wonderful - like a Singer Featherweight for next to nothing - and now she has this gorgeous quilt that she got from a very savy brother-in-law who knew just where something like that should go and where it  will be treasured.  Taking it to Leslie ensures an existence of care and appreciation from her and from Elle, also.  Hats off to that BIL!!   

Christmas Projects

One of the small projects I'm working on for Christmas.  They actually go pretty quickly once the fabrics have been picked out and fused down.

This is a cute little fellow - still in need of eyes and buttons.

Takes a little longer to applique, but it's pretty cute.

This one is quick and simple.  Will do a few more of these patterns and also have a couple of others which I need to resize.  Ho! Ho! Ho!

Pictures from Africa

Here are Hannah and Molly in Africa together.  Heavens, who would have thought those little girls would have ever been any place like that!  In this photo, they are at Victoria Falls in Livingstone.   Molly was there for two weeks and spent Thanksgiving with Hannah and her fellow PCV's.  Also, there is a new post up on Hannah's blog telling about the things they did while together. 

They took a guided tour and saw animals.  Some of them were pretty close.  Hannah talks about it in her post.

Pretty picture - looks almost like a painting.

With their guide and a rhino in the background.  Hannah is basically on her way home now - will be here in three weeks.  She will be doing some sightseeing with friends before catching the plane for home.  It is going to be so good to see her!!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

A Thanksgiving greeting from Funoldhag.  The site that I use to find vintage postcards also pictures the backs and some of them are such fun.  This one is from 1913 .

Thought you might enjoy the little message to Grandma Henry from Mabel.  Enjoy your day and the bountiful feast that most folks have. 

A Trip to Joann's

 Paid a visit to Joann's yesterday afternoon with coupons, of course, and found things I could purchase with them.  Lots of the time you cannot as what you are looking for is usually on sale.  Found this book "The Flirty '30''s" and it's a cute one - right up my alley.  Also bought some tea towels for applique or embroidery and a ball of Sugar and Cream. 

A year or two ago, Leslie game me a knitted dish cloth and I really like it. Can't knit, but can crochet and that's what I am doing - isn't that neat yarn? It's a mindless pattern and goes quickly. Love the scrumptious colors.

A  page from the book - very cute applique pattern and

two more nice patterns.  Don't know when I think I will get all this done, but just love having it around.

And a note about my two granddaughters in Africa.   My daughter talked to them yesterday and they are having a great time.  They went back to Hannah's site a day or so ago, and Molly said everyone was waiting for them.  Molly told her mom they all love Hannah and she doesn't have to worry about Hannah - she's "sassy" and knows how to negotiate to get what she wants!  What an impact this time in the Peace Corps will have on the rest of her life.  It is very, very hot and Molly is not used to that, but is having a wonderful time anyway.  Actually, they will be spending Thanksgiving with a big group of PC volunteers and then Molly will be on her way home day after.  Hannah will be doing some more traveling and will be basically on her way home for Christmas.  School has been out there for a time now.   Am so anxious to see her and hear all her stories!  We also skyped with Norah in Denver and got to look at Henry.  My, he is growing and changing and adorable.   And to top it all off, Barclay cooked steaks, Sherry made the great spinach salad and baked potatoes, and pumpkin bread.  My private 5-star restaurant!!  (Click to enlarge)

One Hour and Ten Minute Table Runner

The pattern for the ten minute table runner has been floating around for some time now, and the other day I made one.  Only exception is that I decided to do some applique and it turned out it took quite a while to do the three snowflakes.  They look so simple, but there are five little extensions on each arm of the flake so that was lots of stopping, turning and going again.  I did some of those on runners a couple of years ago and now remember that they were pretty tedious.  However, a simpler flake could be used.  Another thing I would change about this is the length and the width.  It's kind of short and stubby.  The fabric is to be cut width of fabric, but I wanted the rows to go up and down and I only had a yard of the striped.  Therefore, instead of being approximately 42 inches long, it was 36.  The main fabric (in this case the red with the appliques) was to be cut 10 to 12 inches wof.  I cut it 12.  Next one it will be 10.  The printed was cut 18 inches wide and I think I might cut that a bit smaller, also.   If I had not appliqued, it really would have been super fast!  (Click to enlarge)

Project for Christmas

Tucked away in the basement in a container were these little embroideries I did a couple of years ago with the intent of making wallhangings.  Good intentions should be carried out, but, alas, that is not always so.  I also had four kitchen towels I bought way back when that I was going to applique for Christmas, also.  Guess what - that didn't get done either.  The other day I got to thinking about ordering some more towels and doing them Christmasy (is that a word?).  I do a lot of ordering from http://www.ericas.com/ - they are fast and accommodating.  I had a lightbulb moment - why not border the little embroideries and either fuse or sew them to towels which would have nine of them done very quickly.

I have four towels that are white with a red trim and I am going to use four of the figures without the words, etc., on those.  There will be some towels left and I ought to be able to do some simple appliques on those.  So we shall see if I get this project finished or not.   Anymore, I am slower than molasses in January but as long as I keep going, I am content!

(Click to enlarge - this is a different format now so sometimes it doesn't do it, but you can give it a try!)

Visiting Africa

This is Jolly Boys Packpackers in Zambia where my two youngest granddaughters are now staying.  Molly had a long flight from Portland - she left Friday evening-and she arrived this morning for a two week stay in Africa with Hannah.  Hannah had gone to Zambia and was able to go on the bus from Jolly Boys to meet Molly's flight so the two sisters are now together for a two week adventure.  How great is that? 

 They will see Victoria Falls and I know they have made other plans for this wonderful experience.  The technology today is incredible - Sherry has talked to them already.   It will be exciting to hear what they do.  They will eventually make their way back to Hannah's site and meet her students and coworkers.  Then about the middle of  December, Hannah will be coming home for a visit over Christmas and her first visit with her new little nephew, Henry.  Exciting times.    

Friday, Already

This has been a quick week.  Two days I spent in a class with twelve other quilters doing a fused flower wall hanging.  The construction of the piece was quite time consuming and it also entailed fabric painting.  I did not get mine done and will probably not get back to it until after Christmas.  I intended to take my camera and forgot both days.  Some of the girls finished their pieces and they were lovely.  Sorry I don't have photos. 

This picture and the one at the beginning are my Christmas cactus blooming nicely.  Always in late October and early November.  The color is so bright it is almost neon.

Here are three of my favorite antiques all in one little group.  The spool cabinet is one that was an anniversary gift from my husband a long time ago.  He gave our daughter money and she found this at a wonderful antique store in Lawrence, Kansas, called Quantral's Flea Market.  I so love this piece.  It was probably used on a counter in a notions department at a department store years ago.  We added the legs which could be easily removed, but I love it as a side table.  I had enough of the old spools of thread to fill the fronts of the drawers.    On top sits my first ever antique purchase.  An old hotel in Ft. Madison, Iowa, sold out the furnishings and I got this old pitcher and bowl for $1.50.  I never had much to spend on things like that in the 50's so I was elated to have this neat old set.

This is the chamber pot that my dad got from the old lady who owned our house and had a summer cottage close by.  He took care of her place.  When we came over from Iowa to visit my parents and I saw this I flipped.  It came back home on the train with us. 

It's Getting Bigger

Coming right along with this one.  I think I may have used a hook that was too large but it certainly makes it go quickly.  I am inclined to crochet loosely, also.  It's to the point where it is really cozy having it on your lap while you crochet.

 Won't be adding any additional colors and will just continue mixing them up in between the strips of white.  I probably have almost half of this done and when it's done, it's done.  Love that!!   There was certainly not a big choice when I went shopping for yarn.  Most of this is Vanna's.  Maybe I will bite the bullet and go to Walmart where I never shop and see what they have next time I get the urge.  Walmart is soooooo big and not my favorite place.  Love Target but they don't carry good stuff like yarn.  (Click to enlarge)

Who Knew

And I thought ice cream was for lunch!  This neat old ad is from a blog I have listed on my sidebar - http://pzrservices.typepad.com/vintageadvertising/
If you are into vintage pictures, magazines, advertising, you will probably love looking around on this one.  There is a list on it's sidebar of all the different categories and also ads by the different decades.  A fun place for those of us who love the old stuff. 

Last evening when I went to my blog, the background was gone.  Could not even get to the blog where I found it.  So I did some looking around and found a new background at http://www.leeloublogs.blogspot.com/ and used a new picture in the header.   This morning, I went to the old website and it is back.  Think I will stay with this one for a spell as it's bright and cheery.  Later will search out another cute one for the holidays.  Lots and lots of cute backgrounds out there.   So much great stuff on the internet.   Here are some from the board I have for Buttons  on my Pinterest page. 

 How cool is this?

 I really love covered buttons. 

This would be very time consuming and you would need tons of buttons but it is just gorgeous.

(Click to enlarge)

Trick or Treater

One of the rewards of spending time in the pumpkin patch is getting to dress up in your cool costume and go trick or treating for Halloween!  Here is Henry as a happy hamburger - how humorous!!   No, from the entry on Facebook, Mommy did not make the outfit - it came from Old Navy.   What an adorable, laid back great grandson I have.  Thought I would share this with you.  (This one does not enlarge)