Welcome, 2014...

web image

 I'm working on my list for 2014...

What will I be creating?

Where will we be traveling?

What are my personal resolutions?

I'll be sharing a few of them with you in the upcoming days.

Enjoy the first bright, shiny day of 2014. 

I'll see you tomorrow.

Tuesdays With Tag - Happy New Year...

Corgis LOVE a good party! (Tag's 2013 year-end rear end.)

 Hi, Everybody!

Mom, Dad and I are plannin' to party like rock stars tonight!

I don't even know what a New Years Eve party is, but I know

I'm gonna like it. My friend, Stout is comin' over and we'll have

fun visitin'. I don't know if I'll be able to stay up until midnight,

but I do know that I'm gonna give it my very best effort.

 I'm lookin' forward to 2014 and all the adventures we're gonna have

together. I just wonder what the next twelve months hold for us.

Guess we'll just have to wait to find out. 'til then...

"More Waggin' and Less Barkin'!"

Have A Safe and Happy New Years' Celebration!

See ya next year.

Merry-Making...

 I made headway on my needlework last weekend, but I was so easily

distracted. I preferred to harass the Corgi, cheer on a Packers win

 and spend time with Handsome instead. Really. Can you blame me?
Instead of stitching "Make Merry", I was actually merry-making. 
(You can see, I did make some progress from my last update, though.)

It's a new week, though. I want to finish this piece because it's time
to start the "Wooly Critters" BOM for January. I don't want to start
the new year "behind", after all! I will finish this needlework today.
I'll show it to you tomorrow. I will. Promise. Cross my heart.

Sunday Scripture...

This entire verse was recited during our wedding ceremony. (web image)

Today is our wedding anniversary.

Happy 29th, Handsome.

A.B. & A, A.M.L.

Almost Time...

Block One - Chickadee & Sunflowers

 The gals in our Coffee Club are going to be creating a new monthly for 2014.

The first block is "Chickadee & Sunflowers". I'm planning to do mine in wool.

Cover Image

 Although we're set to begin in January, there may already be some

work in progress. I'm looking forward to finding out if anyone else

is going to work in wool, or which fabric combinations are planned.

Supply List and Design Details

 This is the back page of the multi-page pattern. You can see what we'll

need for fabrics, and I wanted to make sure that you could see all the

pattern information in case anyone else would care to join us on our

year-long project. Patterns can be ordered here on Brandywine's site.

If you're looking for me this morning, I'll be at Sandy's Quilt Shop

with the Coffee Club. I've missed my girlfriends and am anxious to

see them again. Funny how a few weeks can seem like forever!

I hope all of you have a fun weekend. 

Rest up before the New Year celebrating begins!

Feeling Better By The Day...

 I felt well enough to pull out my Sweet Stitches "Make Merry" kit.

It features the Jolly Ol' Elf himself, so I would like to finish it while

Christmas is still in the air. I figure I have until Sunday to get him done.

 After Sunday, I think I'll need to look forward to 2014, like the

rest of you. I'd much rather be stitching than out in the stores.

I like the idea of getting back to my regular routines, too...

just in time for the new year!

How are you spending your time between now and New Years Day?

Christmas 2013...

Liljegrens 2013

Our weather was perfect, friends gathered and we spent time

catching up with our sons and their families, too. We're so blessed.

Christmas Day 2013, captured for our family album.

I'm barefoot again. Most appropriate since I rarely wear shoes at
home...in our favorite back yard spot - next to the swimming pool.

We hope that your celebrations were memorable, and the 

holiday spirit continues to fill your days into the new year.

Merry Christmas...

Web Image

Tuesdays With Tag - Christmas Eve...

 Hi, Everybody!

Guess what day it is!!! No, not Humpday.

It's Christmas Eve!!!

Santa comes to all good boys and girls and dogs tonight.

 What do you think? I was mostly good this year, right?

(OK. We won't count last week when I was a jerk at Miss Pat's house.)

 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and that you get all

the things you asked for this year. We're grateful to be your friends.

Merry Christmas 

and 

God Bless Everybody!

 

Meals on Wheels...

 Denise G. and I have known each other for thirteen years...and we've become

good friends without ever having been in the same room together. The 

Internet is a wonderful thing, indeed. We have always exchanged gifts for 

special occasions, but we often trade with each other for no particular reason at all.

Denise is much more organized than I am this year, so her gifts arrived way

ahead of her receiving mine this Christmas. She always includes goodies from

 Vermont, but there is always something completely, uniquely, perfect for me.

 This year, tucked in among the maple candies, home-grown holly and special

syrups, I found a new book entitled, "Meals on Wheels". She found a book

written specifically for trailer campers in her friend's antique shop! WOW!

 Although it looks nearly new, this little gem was written in 1937.

 

I couldn't help but smile when I looked at the illustrations.

I might just have to transfer these to fabric, stitch one or two and

make pillows for the Flying Cloud (and Denise) when they're done!

 I've already read the book cover-to-cover and loved every bit of it. There's 

information ranging from "Housekeeping" to recipes, but one of the chapters 

that was most fun for me was the chapter on "Cooking Equipment".

 Handsome and I are always aware of the amount of weight we add to our

tow package, so you can just imagine how I giggled reading this list. It's 

actually much, much more than I would ever pack onboard for traveling. 

When I turned the page, there were more items that they considered

"optional", like a waffle maker, pressure cooker, or roaster. That's crazy!

I showed the list to Handsome, suggesting that I tend toward 'underpacked'.

He laughed. I don't blame him, either. While the book is loaded with useful

information, they definitely are willing to add more frivolous weight than we are.

Denise suggested that this might be a good addition to our travel library. You are 

so right, my friend! Thank you for everything you carefully chose for us this year. 

I'm looking forward to "tucking in" to all our goodies. Your package will be

 on its way this week. I hope you and Neil enjoy what I've chosen for you, too!

Merry Christmas hugs across the miles.

Sunday Scripture...

Web Image

A Season of Giving...

A thoughtful gift from Sherry at Createology blog

 While I'm recuperating, I have received beautiful Christmas gifts from

dear blog friends. While I have gifts of my own all ready to send, alas

they have not yet been wrapped and packaged. This is taking a little longer

than I expected and it's a bit frustrating that I have no energy right now.

I'm so grateful for those who have taken the time to share their Christmas

spirit with me. Sherry sent this beautiful charm fob (already installed on a

favorite pair of embroidery scissors). It's decorated on both sides of the charm!

 Marydon outdid herself again this year. Look at the beautiful combination

of fabric yo yos and buttons that came together into a sweet little ornament.

She also included a chandelier crystal that I'll definitely use in a future project.

 Marydon always includes a taste tea bag attached to her greeting cards.

One of these days, she and I will sit and share a cuppa in the same room.

I'm looking forward to that. She and I will have a lot to chat about, for sure.

Thank you, Sherry and Marydon. Your gifts are appreciated more than you 

know. I hope you like the surprises I'll be sending your way soon. xoxo

I'm not clear to visit with my Coffee Club chums yet...not 'til I'm stronger.
Today is another chance for me to accomplish a few lofty, pre-Christmas goals.

Wish me luck, will ya? I sure could use it right about now.

A Quilt For Handsome...

Stunning long-arm work by Pat Alderman

After my hair appointment yesterday (I have to look good for the holidays,
right?), Handsome took me to Parrish to pick up his finished quilt from 
Pat Alderman. (I'm not cleared to drive myself yet.) He hasn't see it, as it's
his Christmas gift this year, but I just know he's going to be completely
thrilled when he unwraps it on Christmas Day. I know I'm over the moon!

Perfect quilting for a masculine design

Pat accented the Princeton plates without making them too girly. I love how

 every decision she made creates movement without being over the top. She

used a washable wool batting, so the quilt has the most wonderful drape, too!

I'm loving the final result!

I'll be binding the quilt in just a few days and then it will be ready to

place beneath our Christmas tree. Thank you, Pat, for another splendid

quilting finish. I'll be entering this one in our quilt show in February, too.

I think it's nearly time to sit back and relax! Just a few more packages

to ship and then I can enjoy the entire holiday with loved ones.

There really isn't anything better, is there?

Nearly Time To Rest...

  Two sets of Grammie's Jammies are finished, with only one set to finish.

I'm only going to share sneaks and peeks so I don't give away everything.

Little snippets of tops and bottoms, glistenings and gleanings of surprises to

come. Gifts for good little girls will be winging their way northward today.

Packages wrapped with love and hugs tucked inside, arriving in time for

another Christmas Eve. As I fold and roll, I imagine smiles brightening the

faces that make our hearts sing...the faces that hold our family's future.

 

 The last set of jammies are nearly finished, and they'll ship today or tomorrow.

A surgery has put me a little behind schedule, but I won't miss my Christmas

deadlines. I'll just have to pace myself a little better. I'll rest when my work is done.

I'll be back tomorrow with more pictures...and all those gifts will be on their way.

Now, where are those elves again?