November 24, 2025

November Craft Day...

November Craft Day - L-R: Donna, George, Adrienne, Linda K, and Marie

Our November group was small, but all the participants are held closely in my heart. Linda is one of my dearest friends, and I've known her since I first moved to Portage in 1976. I lived there until 1981, when I came back to Fond du Lac and met my now husband. 

Linda and I have stayed close ever since, and as I've shared previously, her daughter Marie, granddaughter Adrienne, and now Adrienne's children, Belle, Bowen and George are also dear to me. Being able to see them so frequently is just like a mini family reunion, and getting together to craft is just a welcome excuse.

This month, Marie rounded up her paper and paint assortments, wooden tree forms from Hobby Lobby, and plastic peel and stick tiles from Dollar General. From there, we painted, cut, and glued our projects together to see what is photographed above. Aren't they fun?

I especially loved Marie's color theme, but every single one of theirs is unique and wonderful. Of course, I immediately focused on the music-themed papers and settled on one that had a cardinal in the corner. Once I fussy cut the design to fit my tree, the rest came right along. I may still add a star to the top of my tree, but I haven't decided what it will be yet.

George came up with the idea to cut a tree topper out of the tile, and then his mom followed suit. He was pretty darn proud of his once he finished it, and of course, we all told him how talented he was (is).

Having my tree photographed

Marie always shares our monthly projects with a craft group she belongs to on Facebook, so we always take photographs of each participant with their piece. Mine made it onto my camera this month, so here I am with my musical tree. Hmmm. Perhaps my tree topper should be a bell or a drum? I'm going to see what I have in my embellishment boxes that might be appropriate. (I know I have some grand piano buttons and a pin.) 

Linda's Owl Shawl

A few months ago, I saw this wonderful owl shawl crochet pattern and had to share it with Linda. She loves to crochet and is very good at it. She told me she bought the pattern and was working on it.

Well, after fifty or sixty hours' worth of work, she finished it and wore it Saturday. It is really magnificent! I had to share it with you. The pattern didn't call for the trim on each feather, but she used a sparkling brown yarn, and it was just the perfect finishing touch.

She told me she purchased a dragon shawl pattern at the same time, and Belle said if her great-grandma made it, she'd absolutely wear it. I told Linda Belle could wear the goldwork dragon brooch I made for her on it, too!

I hope you enjoyed seeing what we did for our monthly play date. I was on my way home by noon, so I spent the rest of the weekend with Handsome. We put up our porch lights yesterday, because the weather is forecast to get ugly later this week, and I really don't want to be doing that in frigid temps or biting winds. 

We turned the lights on last night just so we could see how they looked, so I guess I'm guilty of "decorating before Thanksgiving" now. I have a different idea for a tree this year, so I'll share that once it's accomplished. There are other things to write about first though. You'll have to come back tomorrow for that. 

Give Thanks - Web Image

November 23, 2025

November 22, 2025

Fresh From The Hoop...

Completed "Summer Serenade - Bluebirds" Quilt Top

I completed all the embroidery on my bluebird quilt top yesterday. It was my plan to begin assembling the wall hanging in the afternoon, but I got a call from my boss at work asking if I could come in early (which I did). Needless to say, the process stopped here. I took this photograph before I even had a chance to press the hoop marks out of the corners!

Today is Craft Day in Portage, so I'll be away this morning. If Handsome doesn't have some outdoor tasks for us when I get back, I'll begin where I left off on my wall hanging. I'm hoping I can share a completed piece early next week. I'll definitely have it completed by Thanksgiving!

I'm going to make a coffee for my go cup and get on the road. I need to be there by 9 am, and it's about an hour and twenty between here and there. I hope you have a wonderful weekend! Time for me to fly!