Merry Christmas!!!

On Christmas Eve we always get together with Randy's family and this year it was at his Brother's place.  Dinner was great, even though the boys didn't think it was time to eat.  They sure did run around and laugh a lot though.  Ned was particularly enjoying having his picture taken.  The Other One wasn't so interested.

After dinner everyone just enjoyed sitting around and taking.  Nice and relaxing.

In a few hours my side of the family will be arriving for Christmas here.  We will probably bring out the quad and tow people around the field for a while until they get cold.  Then come in, eat and exchange gifts.  Should go get ready.  I'll post those pics tomorrow.

H

PS - I almost forgot to post the final pic of my table runners! They were quite bright when I finished so I ended up spray tea dying them.  I think I might dye it again later so they are darker.  This is a pic of just one of them cause I didn't have the table pulled out full.

Almost Ready for Christmas!!!!

I am almost ready for Christmas.  I just sewed the Simple Tote from bend-the-rules Sewing.  As I've said before, I am NOT a sewer.  Was panicking the whole time I was doing it (the whole 1.5 hours).  This is to hold Dodie's gift. 

First a pic of the Simple Tote:

 

I'm pretty happy with the way it came out.

Now for the gift that goes in it.  I have been making Lounge Pants from Amy Butler's In Stitches.  Get the book if you don't have it.  Here are the pants I made for Bindy and Dodie out of vintage thrifted sheets. 

I made myself a pair first to see if I could do it and if I liked them.  I will ask Bindy and Dodie for them back if they don't wear them.  I LOVE THEM!!!!!!

Also today we took the boys to their preschool Christmas Party.  We only lasted 1/2 hour sledding at -15 degrees temp.  The boys were frozen and more than happy to get home. 

H

Envious

OK, don't know if I'm envious or just downright jealous of people who can make perfect points.  I'm working on this table runner, actually I'm making two so that I can use it when the table is small and just put the 2 runners together when I have to sit 12-14people at Christmas.  This is it.  OK, this is it in progress.

My points aren't perfect.  No matter how many times I took it apart.  I like the colours though.  I'm gonna bind it with the red gingham and learn to live with it.  My friend Carol did a quilt for her nephew.  I saw it once and didn't give it the ultimate respect it deserved.  It was full of points.  They all met perfectly.  I admire her point-ability.

Everyone at my house is sick.  Wait - actually, we are all sick, but Randy and I appear to be the only ones that actually look sick.  The boys are acting like being up all night coughing doesn't affect their energy level during the day.  I like it when they nap.  Naps are good.  I am making myself some amazing chocolate cake to make myself feel better.

Did I mention that in the last 2 days it has gone from 4 degrees to minus 8 degrees?  And from no snow to 2 feet of snow?  Yeah.  Fun.  Randy is on the quad ploughing the driveway.

H

Using Actual Names

I've never been a big fan of making up nicknames to use online. Probably should, but never have. I seem to be particular about pics of my kids though. Anyways, I was discussing starting a blog with my friend, Feather (not her real name). I told her that if I started a blog, I would changes everyone's name to something that it 'sounds like'. Thus Feather. She has a daughter Harah and a son Len. Harah will probably request a different name, I'll let you know what it is.

I've decided that instead of DS, I will call her Bindy. Her daughter is Dodie and her son is Jack.

As for my kids, when the boys were born Randy and I would take shifts looking after them at night. I would go to sleep when they did, around 7pm. Randy likes to stay up so he would get the boys anything they needed until around midnight. Then I would be 'on duty' until around 5am, when he would get up, I would sleep for another 2 hours, then he would get ready and go to work. It seemed to work well for us. Until late one night when both boys were having a fit and Randy couldn't calm them down. I got up to help. I went into their room and there was Randy, obviously had fallen asleep somewhere and was very tired. He looks at me and says, "I'll take care of Ned, you take care of the "Other One". And thus, from here on, my boys will be called Ned and Other One. Neither names are their real names.

H

Got Pics!!!!

OK - This is the quilt I've been working on for DH. It is all out of homespun fabric and is loosely based on Crazy Mom Quilts Ragged Squares . It is approx. 51"x85" - which is the perfect size to curl up on the couch and wrap it under your feet. I used black thread and a zig zag stitch to stitch and quilt it together. The pic doesn't do it justice. I wasn't sure I even liked it until I saw how nice it came out of the dryer. DH likes it too. I think I'll do more this style with other fabrics.

Christmas is always one of those weird holidays where you don't know how much to spend and find yourself spending too much. This year we've decided that we will give each other a) something you make (preferably out of something you have on hand) or b) something you already have and don't need anymore. This has been a challenge for me to be 'crafty'!

This is what I've made my Mom. It is a pattern from Last-Minute Patchwork & Quilted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson.

Mom wants to learn to quilt so I included a kit for Yellow Brick Road. Hope she likes it.

Next I 've been working on something for my Sis. Since she likes red, I've made her some fabric buckets from this tutorial.

Now, keep in mind that I am not a sewer. In fact, while trying to figure out this pattern and sew them dang circles on the bottom, I so had flashbacks to Grade 8 sewing. Ok, not really flashbacks as much as panic attacks. But they actually turned out quite well. Used corduroy for the bottom and a nice Moda print for the inside. I'm sure she'll think they are hats, but whatever.

You'll have to wait to see what goes inside these fabric buckets. I'll post those pics when I'm done.

And because I can't seem to finish a project before I start a new one, I've started a couple of table runners. Pics to come with that too.

My boys are feeling a little under the weather (not bad considering this is the first time they've been sick since they were born almost 3.5 years ago) - should run and hug them ...

H

I've been real busy sewing and quilting. I will post some pics as soon as I can figure out how to take a good picture. You see, I am not crafty or artistic. Can't draw stick people. Feel sorry for my kids - I had a panic attack when someone told me I should draw with them.

Waaaay back when I was getting married, I have the fantastic idea that my reception tables should have white wicker baskets filled with lace roses. Spraying the baskets went fine, but when it came time to do the roses, I burnt my fingers so bad with the hot glue gun that my sister had to take over and get them done.

So - back to me not being crafty - the fact that I actually have made stuff, makes me giddy! They probably look like crap, but just like every mother thinks her children look beautiful, I believe my 'craft' projects look not too bad!

H

Sumpthin for my Sis

Made this today for my Sister for in front of the sink in her small kitchen. She likes red so I'm hopin she likes it! I used the tutorial here: http://montessoribyhand.blogspot.com/2007/11/recycled-bath-mat-tutorial.html . I'm still learning this linking / blogging stuff. Please bear with me. The rug measures 15"x27".

H

Well, apparently I suck at being a consistent Blogger. Will have to work on that. Here is a picture of a quilt I finished. Much brighter than I normally would consider, but I had the scraps of fabric already and I love it. It is only 48"x60" so a little small to nap under, but it crinkled really nice after I washed it.

I have a theory about lap quilts. They shouldn't be for your lap, they should be large enuf for a nap! I'm working on one now for DH that is approx. 51"x85". That way you can wrap the ends under your feet and still have lots to cuddle around your neck. Pics to come on that one.

H

Hi.

Hi. My name is Holly. For the past 5.5 years my family and I have lived in a small community. I call it The Shire. This isn't it's real name, but since most people here are so odd, I felt it fit. It is a small community that is struggling terribly with growth and the lifers seem terribly opposed to pretty much everything. My DH and I wanted to buy a small farm but the 'big city' we lived in (20 minutes down the road) was out of our price range. We found a 10 acre parcel of bare land in The Shire and bought it.

The day we started excavating for our new home was very exciting. Then the Shireness began. We had excavated almost enuf room for our basement when we look up and see two elderly people marching quickly up our driveway towards us. He in front, she 4 paces behind. The get to us and demand, "What are you doing!!!!!!". We gleefully respond, "We're building a house!!!". They demand, "Do you own this land????". It was then that the little devil on my shoulder began screaming, "Uhhhh ... no. We just saw no one was using it so we thought we'd dig!". We had to assure them that we indeed owned the land, had the proper permit and we completely allowed to build a home there. We haven't seen them since.

We have twin boys who are 3 years old. I am very busy and always need a nap.

In a perfect world, I would only quilt. I suck at it, but I love it anyways. I would like to be one of those quilters that produced a beautiful quilt each and every day and blogs about it endlessly.

Unfortunately I do not live in that world and therefore must surf other blogs to get my daily quilting fix. I will try to post pics of my quilting passion whenever I can.