Days and Blocks Shared

Grandchildren are God's way of compensating us for growing old.

~Mary H. Waldrip

We had such a wondrous, fun, and busy four days and now it seems like it happened a month ago.  With the grandsons in the house for Christmas it was like we were all children again.  So much happiness, surprise, and noise!  We all received a bundle of presents, ate too much food (many times over the four days) and shared our love with immediate family and extended family as well.  Our house emptied out yesterday morning and it was if I had suddenly gone deaf.  No noise.  Even the dogs ended up pouting because there was no one to throw the ball for them, scratch their bellies, and give them that extra hug - I was still home but it's just not the same as when a little boy does those things.  Then I spent the day doing mounds of wash, vacuuming pet hair, and cleaning sticky floors.  But I wouldn't trade it all in just to have a clean house.

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PHOTO OF THE DAY

Our gift from GS#1, Nate

This is the best gift my DH and I received - a hand drawn picture by our 4 year old grandson.  My DD#1 wrote down exactly what he said when he told her about the picture.  If you can't read it because the picture is small, the writing about the character on the left (in orange) says "grandma Linda with a happy face because she's happy to see me".  And the one on the right (in blue) says "Beba with blue glasses and hair".  Beba is what the boys call my DH.  This will hold a special spot in our living room!  I know it's not my typical kind of picture for this spot - but it's the picture that means a lot to me!

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Here's a little collage of our Christmas.......

Many memories were made!!

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It seems like I have been gone forever when in all reality I only missed two regular days of posting.  I tried to keep up with some of my reading but sadly fell behind in that department too.  Now I am at the point of what to share first.  Well, since today is Wednesday it is officially One Flower Wednesday.  Yesterday I created this little hexie.........

In celebration of the coming new year, I did a little stitchery for the center of the flower.  I'm not real happy with it but I do like the confetti look of the petals.

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In my mail today was an envelope from NSW, Australia.  Julie was my swap partner for the month of December for the Quilting Block Swaps Australia. 

Julie made this wonderful deep green Blazing Arrow block in combination with white on white.  She did a beautiful job.  She also included a very nice Christmas card with the block. 

I don't remember if I shared the block I made for Julie so here it is......

She had requested any block made in blue and yellow.

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GIVEAWAYS

Brown Paper Packages is giving away a Silhouette machine.  You must enter for this great little machine before midnight January 1, 2011 EST.

Qubee Quilts is having a birthday giveaway.  To help Charlie celebrate his birthday and a chance to win a Fandango layer cake you must enter this giveaway by Thursday, December 30th!

Vignette In Stitches Blog is giving away 10 copies of their new magazine.  Check this out before January 6th at 10:00 AM Qld time, Australia.

Dawn's Quilt Corner is having a super giveaway!!  She is giving away 7 yards of Dr Seuss fabric!!  Can you believe that?  You must enter by 6:00 PM on New Year's Day PST.

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FINAL THOUGHT

It's hard for me to believe that a new year is arriving in just 3 short days!  Where has the time gone.  It seems like it was just the big celebration of 2000 - and now that was over a decade ago.  Right now I feel as though I could sleep until the new year arrives but I also have so many things I would like to do/start that I don't think that would be very practical.  At least I'm not under the pressure that I put myself under during this last month.  How many of you have big plans for ringing in the new year?  Our big celebration will be having dinner delivered for just the two of us, a movie to watch, and in all likelihood, in bed way before midnight.  But then we will be up in time to watch the Rose Parade on TV.  I don't think that I've ever missed watching the parade live on TV since we were married.

Youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve. Middle age is when you're forced to.
~Bill Vaughn

Have a wonderful, wacky and woven Wednesday!!!!

Sailing, Snowballs, & Swans

When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things - not the great occasions - give off the greatest glow of happiness.
~Bob Hope

I have many memories of Christmas past.  Some memories are from my childhood.  Some of the memories are from when my girls were small.  One of the most vivid memories I have was when my DH and I were still dating and I was invited out to his family's home for their big Christmas meal.  I knew he had three older siblings - two sisters and one brother - all married but none yet with children.  Little did I know what I was in for!  Christmas dinner at my home was a small affair with just my parents and younger sister - maybe another older couple would join us.  It was a very quiet and sedate affair.  So out to the ranch (that's what the DH's family called their home) I went.  The house was packed with people!  Aunts, uncles, cousins and other 'in-laws'.  And talk about a noisy group!!!  All of them were talking at once, or at least seemed to be to me.  The only time there was any quiet was when grace was being said.  This was my first of many 'family' dinners at my soon to be MIL and FIL's home.  It was either get used to it or don't be part of the family.  I survived and lived to tell about it - lol!  Do you have a big family Christmas dinner or do you have a nice, quite little affair?

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PHOTO OF THE DAY

Seven Swans A Swimming

On the seventh day the lover sends seven swans. Throughout history swans have been associated with royalty and the swan is often used on royal symbols and other decorations. Swans are also found in myths and folk tales dealing with love.  Swan meat is supposed to be quite tasty and from ancient times to the nineteenth century, roast swan was on the menu for the king's Christmas dinners and other royal banquets. Since the nineteenth century, the turkey has replaced the swan as the bird of choice for fall and winter holiday feasts.  With its close connection to royalty and royal holiday feasting, the choice of seven swans as a gift for this high born lady from her lover is appropriate.

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Yesterday, the fourth block for the Layer Cake Quilt Along being hosted by Moose on the Porch Quilts was revealed.  Here is the block I made.....

This block is called Starry Starry Snowball and was designed by Sherri McConnell at A Quilting Life.  I stayed with the Sweet and Sour line by Connecting Threads.  I had a little trouble but only because I didn't read the instructions completely.  I had to do a bit a trimming on four side blocks to make them the right size.  If I had read the instructions, I would have known to trim down the HST blocks prior to putting them together.  Oh well, it all worked in the end.  I actually made two of these blocks but the other one is for a Bee in Oz group member for January so I can't show you that one until she receives it.  I think I should have gone with either a different center or different points on this one.  However, it will work with the other blocks that I've made.

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Yesterday I also finished up the "summer" quilted block - the third block of four for a Christmas gift.

This little block is called Ship at Sea and I found it at About.com.  The pattern itself was quite easy, the hard part for me was selecting the fabrics.  I had no idea where I was going when I was looking at my scraps.  At first I started with the boat itself and didn't like anything in my scrap pile.  So I decided to start with the water.  I found three different fabrics but when I found this one I knew it was the one I had to use.  I don't know if you can see the silver in the water and I even did some fmq!  Then I had to pick the sky.  I didn't want just plain blue.  I found some scraps of batik and it even has a sort of sun shape in the two top corners.  Of course the sails were easy - white.  Then back to the boat.  I just closed my eyes and put my hand into the black scraps and used whatever came out first - lol!  I really like this little block with its rolling waves and funky sky.

And what better for a backing than an underwater scene.  I used the same fabric as the boat to make the little hanging sleeve.  So, you are supposed to imagine you are looking at the bottom of the boat (the sleeve) and that is what you would see under it.  I think this is my favorite of all the little quilt blocks so far.

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GIVEAWAYS

There aren't really any new giveaways out there - well, at least none that I could find. 

We are half way through the 12 Days of Christmas giveaway over at It Seams To Be Sew.  But go check it out as it is a fun giveaway.

And you have today and tomorrow to enter in most of the giveaways listed at Sew, Mama, Sew's Giveaway Day.  There are lots of great giveaways to enter.

And if you haven't entered my giveaway yet for 5 Christmas batik fat quarters you still have time.  My giveaway ends tomorrow, Friday, December 17th at 9:00 pm PST.

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FINAL THOUGHT

I'm rather blah today - not really sure why.  I'm looking forward to all of the Christmas uproar and festivities.  At times I think it all is a bit overwhelming though.  I always seem to go through a little bah-humbug before the special day hits and this must be that time.  I have no motivation even though I sit here and sew.  No words of wisdom come to me - just a little bit of emptiness.  Maybe it's because we have to go to Walmart and Costco tonight.  That's enough to put anybody in a funk this time of year - lol!  It will pass soon - decorating the house this weekend will probably help.  And only one more week until my girls and their families are here!!!!!  And today's final quote is our mission tonight.......

Once again we find ourselves enmeshed in the Holiday Season, that very special time of year when we join with our loved ones in sharing centuries-old traditions such as trying to find a parking space at the mall. We traditionally do this in my family by driving around the parking lot until we see a shopper emerge from the mall, then we follow her, in very much the same spirit as the Three Wise Men, who 2,000 years ago followed a star, week after week, until it led them to a parking space.

~Dave Barry

Off to complete that final homemade Christmas gift.  I hope your Thursday is productive!!

Family Heirlooms and Memories

"Our lives are like quilts - bits and pieces, joy and sorrow, stitched with love."
                                                                                            ~author unknown


Here's my picture for the day:

This is a White Spider Gerbera that I raised from seed this spring.  My first success doing this.  I had read that gerberas are very difficult to grow from seed and I agree.  Out of the 32 seeds I potted, only six sprouted.  I think I will just go to the nursery and purchase grown plants from now on.

I have been thinking a lot about my paternal grandparents lately.  Don't know why as they have been gone for over 40 years.  They were an unusual couple but you could never find a more loving and caring couple.  Grandma was a full blood Italian and quite a feisty 5'2" fireplug. Grandpa was a full blood Norwegian, 6'4" very stoic, blond (well, gray when I knew him) man.  Both came over from their respective countries as young adults.  I can't imagine how they ever met - I was never told and never thought to ask before my father passed more than 30 years ago - just one of those things you don't think to ask when you are young and figure you have all of the time in the world.  I can imagine, however,  when there were arguments and their native languages came out - neither one would be able to understand the other (and perhaps that was a good thing)! 

I know at one point my Grandpa was a cattle rancher in eastern Montana.  I used to hear stories of the fights between the cattle ranchers and the sheep herders - of course, the cattle ranchers were always right.  My Dad used to tell me that in the winter, it was so cold that sometimes a part of the cows tails would snap off from being frozen.  He would also say that you couldn't run when it was that cold out because it would hurt your lungs.  By the time I knew my grandparents, they had retired and moved to the western side of Montana to a beautiful little logging town known as Thompson Falls.  I haven't been there in many years but remember one of my favorite things about the town was how the railroad ran straight through the middle of town and that you could go to the movies for a dime.

Both of my grandparents were very creative.  Grandma quilted, embroidered, created porcelain items, and was a fantastic cook.  Grandpa was a weaver, a carver, and a latch hook rug maker.  Maybe this is where I get my need to always have my hands busy - quilting, cross stitching, or crocheting.  I remember going into what was supposed to be a one car garage and seeing Grandpa's loom taking up most of the space with some work always in progress.  Unfortunately, I don't remember ever seeing a finished work, nor do I know of any that exist.  Perhaps my aunt inherited some of them but she also passed many years ago and I do not know how to get in touch with my cousins that I haven't seen in 30 years.

I feel very lucky to have inherited three of my Grandma's hand sewn quilts.  Here are pictures of those.

I like the blue sashing used on this one

A close up of the hand stitching and some of the fabrics used.

Grandma's Pinwheel Quilt

A close of the hand stitching.  All the colors have held well as you can tell by the purple in this one

This my favorite one and has inspired me to create one like it soon

A close up of the stitching.  On close inspection, I noticed that many of the hexagons are sort of lopsided.  But that doesn't matter because I know they were all made with love!

All of these quilts have been well handled and have very little staining or fading.  They are all so soft and I could easily cuddle under them when it's cold.  Thank you for taking this stroll with me through some of my family memories.

Here are some giveaways that are happening this week.  Take a tour and maybe enter a few (but not too many so maybe I can win - LOL!)
Check out the $100 Visa gift card giveaway at V and Co. sponsored  by Kellogg's and blogher. 

Another great giveaway for the AccuQuilt Go! Cutter can be found at Freckled Whimsy.  (I really didn't want to tell you about this one but I had to get an extra chance at winning.)

Want another try at and AccuQuilt Go! Cutter?  You can enter another giveaway at a la mode fabric.  (Please don't, I really want to win - LOL!)

Do you like scraps?  Then here's a giveaway for you - Lilac Lane

Cathy over at Wonderous Woven Magic is having a giveaway of a 1/2 yard bundle of the McKenzie Line by Dena Designs for FreeSpirit Fabrics (a total of 3 1/2 yards!)

Megan at Lucy & Norman is having a Blog-aversary giveaway - lots of fat quarters.  Check this one out too.

And, of course, don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY.  There's quite a lot of stuff going to some lucky winner to be announced on Monday!

I have a confession to make.  I gave up on my Hawaiian Quilt.  After three days of trying to do a decent job on my hand applique, I decided to concede.  It beat me.  I'm not a perfectionist but I was not at all pleased with the way it was looking.  I'm normally do not give up on a project, but this was just driving me crazy.  So it is packaged away in a 2 gallon Ziploc bag, perhaps to be taken out at a later date, or to sit and collect dust as my second official UFO.  Time to go back and complete the blue and brown quilt that I started several months ago.  I am actually looking forward to completing this quilt.  Just 9 more squares and two more rows and I can create my quilt sandwich!  By this time next week I should be well on my way into the quilting phase.

Well, that's it for this Wednesday.  I hope you are cooler than we are here.  It's supposed to reach 108' for the high today - YUCK!  I know I'll be staying inside under the A/C.