It’s the weekend before Christmas, and all through the house…..

What a busy weekend I have had.

Firstly, one of Dave’s coworkers asked if I could make a quilt for her mother for Christmas. She wanted a simple pattern so I picked a Turning Twenty. It’s pretty easy and sews up quickly. I took it to, where else, Pine Needles, where I also purchased all the fabric. They were having a deal in October and November that if you got your backing there the batting was free when they did the quilting. So I dropped it off on Nov 30th and got it back this week. Not a bad turnaround, eh?What a deal.

So yesterday, after I got home from shopping and getting my hair cut, I bound it  and it turned out quite nice, if I do say so myself.

I then wrote my Christmas letter and got all my cards done this AM. Will mail tomorrow and they might all arrive before Christmas. Now there’s a Christmas miracle. I also got Kate’s present ready to mail. Remember that?

Today I finished up the cards and then started working on the Cabin in the Stars. God that thing has more pieces than any quilt I have worked on in the past 10 years. The first quilt I ever made had a zillion little triangles too. This one is bringing back some memories.

Anyway, I have finished the log cabin blocks

A picture to remind you.

Today I got half of the 40 stars done

 

This is one of 20. You have to cut those triangle side blocks which makes the chopped star, but you have to be careful you don’t cut the background side, which is the light color. And I did 19 correctly. But guess what happened on #20? Yep, cut it on the wrong side and had to make up a new set to get the one I cut wrong. I decided that I should quit and do the other 20 tomorrow, if I get time. I thought I might have this done by Christmas, but think again. There is still more to cut AND a bunch of boarder blocks to sew. I am thinking mid Jan.

Meanwhile, Beta, who has a one eye and a bad Right Rear leg, now is limping on the Right Front leg. Pretty soon he’ll just be dragging himself on his stomach.

He’s on a little R&R here. We have him on bed rest, or should I say couch rest. That lump of blanket next to him is actually Trixie.

Yep, that’s her.

If you look closely….

I uncovered her head a little so you could see that she really is under there. She didn’t like it much so I covered her back up.

And Dave, well, he cleaned the floors yesterday so he could get a nap in today before that Packer Game. He wasn’t so hot on the picture thing.

Flattering, isn’t it?

I cleaned the bird cages so I did participate in the cleaning, don’t think I didn’t.

I baked some goodies for a few friends and tomorrow I get my car back and say good-bye to big pimpin’. WhooHoo! I plan to do some work in the AM (even though it is my day off), then get my car and do a little last minute shopping-not much, just a little.

For now, I think I’ll go watch the 2nd half of the game, and rest up from the weekend.

Oh, I almost forgot. Cora saw Santa a week or so ago and I don’t think she liked it all that much

Ok, it’s not so bad here but then things took a turn……

Angie says she really isn’t so keen on anyone with a big beard, just so you know. We still love our Cora.

Lindsey got some great family pictures with Morgan, but they are in the proof stage so I can’t steal copy them yet. She says she will update when she gets them ordered. Chase has been sick so I haven’t seen him nor Ali this past week. I guess that’s it for the baby update.

Now off to rest….

Blizzard 09

We had a big snow yesterday. We were between the 12 inches in Rochester and the 16 or so in Winona. I think it all depends on where you measure.

For example, in the dark of the morning we had about 2-3 feet in front of the garage

Yet none at the downstairs door

That is bare concrete ground. Now if that had been in front of the garage I might have gotten to work.

But then there was a blowing snow issue

Of course, it really isn’t appreciated in the dark, but in the light of day…

A bit blowey.

The dogs weren’t really sure what to think-except that going outside wasn’t looking like much fun.

The cat is unfazed. One pane only.

Cody was working in Rochester. I called him at 0h-eight-hundred to tell him he might want to rethink the coming home plan. No dice.

He made it home. 25 miles in an hour. Unfortunately the driveway remained impassable so as soon as he got home, he and Dave decided to shovel. Dave had been getting the itch for about an hour. Myself-Not so much.

This is how it went down.

Them

Me

Them

Me

Them

Beta

Them

Trixie

She looks a little concerned.

So, you get the picture. We, on the inside, felt intellectually and morally superior.

Because on the outside it was windy and cold.

 

And we were, well, inside.

I did finish up a few of these..

40 total.

And did I put up a few pictures of the tree?

This year we have added live decorations for an interactive effect.

It takes our mind off of this

Isn’t the beach background great behind the blizzard blog? Twisted!

Knitting and Candles

I had a very full day on Saturday.

First of all was Block of the Month at Kristen’s. Kristen was there as Barb was sick. We are a little group, but we are lots of fun. Plus, since Kristen expanded, we have our table back. Sweet.

Ok, Kristen, center, doesn’t look all that happy but she was. Trust me.

Lulu was also present-and posing.

She sat right next to me.

Angela, on the left, showed off a sweater she made. Isn’t it the cutest?

She did a wonderful job.

I was surrounded by this and it was hard to resist. I do believe I had to purchase a couple of skeins, but not for me.

After this, I met up with Mary and Laura and we were off to Iowa to go to the soy candle outlet store. This was really a good deal. Big candles for 4-6 dollars, smaller ones for 2. I bought a bunch and only spent 27 dollars. They smell good!

This is what the store looked like

Big store, millions of candles.

Mary bought some too. She was happier about it than this picture reflects.

And where was Laura? She ran away when I started snapping. Now, if I had had a baby…..well, you know.

We did spy some interesting things in Iowa. One of which was this-

It’s a giant chicken. On the way back we spied a giant giraffe. Next time we’ll immortalize that. Only Laura will be in the picture.

We made it home safe and sound. It was a really nice day.

Sunday I finally finished cutting this

I am making it for my favorite store, Pine Needles. Love them to death! Marcia said it might be a little piecey. Um, slight understatement.

Although this does not capture the total amount of cutting, these are all the pieces. I had to separate them so they couldn’t intermingle and confuse me.

I sewed a test block and it measured out perfectly-3 1/2 inches.

Of course, the actual blocks will not be this perfect because, as everyone knows, nothing I sew is ever quite square or even. That is what pressing is for.

These are the strips I cut for the log cabin blocks. Actually, these are the strips I cut and then cut AGAIN for the log cabin blocks.

I have now completed 10 blocks and since I am snowed in today may be able to complete the rest. (Ok, after those 40 blocks I have 40 more stars to make, so don’t think I am done at 40) It is a good thing I love to piece. I think pieced quilts are the most fun because they are challenging and they look really cool.

Yes, I said snowed in. We are in the throws of a blizzard. I think I could get to work if I could only get out of my driveway which currently is up to about 3 feet in drifts next to the garage door. Now usually I’d boof outta there in a burst of speed. But there are two problems with that. First, I have no room to speed up for successful boofing as the drift is right up against the door and secondly, I am driving the big pimpin’ car which I don’t think is at all boofable. Didn’t help that the plow went by and added a couple of feet  of hard packed snow to the end of the driveway. Dave says even if I got out, if I got stuck somewhere who would help me? I said “You would”, to which he replied “I don’t think so”. Dang. Guess I’ll just stay home.

Blizzard pictures to follow.

 

How Could I Forget?

I wondered what I could possibly put up here next.

Then I went to my camera and found these-I had forgotten that I had taken them last week. What with all the excitement otherwise known as my life.

It’s Morgan, Lyndsey’s baby who is growing up fast. She is extremely cute in these pictures. I think she is trying to figure out what in the heck everyone is staring at. I guess she is notorious at home for a little lower lip pout action which she is trying to show off here.

Here she is with Mary K. I think she likes Mary.

And a little blurry with Carol.

I know you are wondering and so here it is..

Wait for it….

Seriously, did you really think that Laura was not lurking in the background somewhere, just waiting to hog a baby?

There could only be two reasons why Laura would not be hogging a baby-

1. She is not in close proximity of said baby or

2. The world has suddenly ended.

Um, this is Laura sort of acting like a baby. Does that count?

 

And speaking of babies, look at what the hard hats are up to now-

(Ok, not really babies but it was a nice lead in) They are welding something onto the side of the 2100.

But if you look closely, this one is wearing more decoration than most

Meet Viking Hard Hat.

 

Those guys are very, very distracting…..