I got nothin'......

Adding a bit of color to an all white landscape helps. But any interest in sewing, whether new or old, still lags.
 There is a baby quilt I need to get busy and finish, but haven't found even the smallest bit of 'get-up-and-go' with which to complete it.
 All of the forms are here, and income tax time looms on the horizon, but I still have time...right? *VBS*
 
Grandbabies turning from 0 to 1 next week, Baby A has been with us a year already. And Baby L, who will be a big brother in May, is going to be 2 the following week. Time....yup, I still have enough of that. Enjoy the colors of the day, I'll be back with something quilt related sooner or later...LOL. I'm just waiting for inspiration to strike.

Bits and Pieces....

I haven't much new to write about lately. My mind seems to be distracted from the things that normally occupy it. A sideways glance at daily life, a lick and a promise to chores that need doing, a pat on the head to things wanting attention. I suppose it's the mid-winter doldrums where everything seems very "ho hum". I watch the light and shadows that play across the snow, recording them visually, but not really taking them "in". I watch the landscape change....from this
 to this. The rain splashes on the big front window, the management team sprinkles salt on my sidewalk, the birds gather and fight over real or imagined crumbs. Ebby races for her stool in front of the big window, intent on catching one of them. The window is blurry with her nose prints. I eat, sleep, talk on the phone. I visit Jean, she visits me. The volunteering at the nursing home keeps its slow pace with the rest of my life. There is little to NO motivation to "tackle" anything additional. The news of the week on the homefront is my first flock of wild turkey sightings. I've never seen them up here in our rural complex until yesterday morning. About 5 hens, it was hard to tell as they wove in and out between the snowbanks. They are BIG! It's the closest I've been to a wild turkey. They looked to be between 28 to 36" tall against the snowbank. Obviously, it's taller than they are...LOL
 
The "Love Ya Bunches" strippy quilt went home on Saturday with a very surprised and happy DD#2. She adored the colors and love the soft warmth of the flannel backing. I did good *VBS*

The news from the home front...

is only mildly interesting and not terribly noteworthy. Lucky me, the Christmas presents keep on rolling in...better late than never and ever so welcome! This one arrived on Friday. They are very tasty and I do love fruit!
 My black watermelon with a tail and ears continues to stay as mild mannered and understated as an old pair of shoes. Not much sunshine to enjoy, but if there is, she finds it. 
And the big news of the week involves this little guy. He's getting closer to being a big brother. The new arrival is due in mid-May. Before that, he will be having birthday #2 in February. The big news is that he's going to have a baby brother. It's a boy! *VBS* Of course, it's a boy.....LOL

Here we go again...

 Another bout of below zero weather, wind chills predicted to be in the minus 50 range by morning, and snow. Yes, those are snow flakes. It's not the program that adds snow to your blog! I have NO need of that one!!! I did hit the 'lighten' button to make the snow whitel.
 Here's what it looks like with the 'lighten' added. I stuck my nose and camera out the door at 8 a.m. this morning. This is the snow that "began in the gloaming, and steadily all the night, covering the fields and forests, with a blanket thick and white". Strange how I remember that particular phrase from a poem learned long year ago *VBS*
 And here's a little trip down memory lane with an unexpected happy ending(for me)...it doesn' take much. This is Baby A, last March, age one month. I haven't seen her, or pictures since.
 
But using my very clever brain and extra smart 'thinking cap', I did a tiny bit of exploring(online)last evening, and this is what I found...*VBS* Not sure when it would have been taken, but that doesn't matter to me. She will be one in February.

Have you ever wondered.....

about the quilts you make and the people they go to, who aren't family? Or maybe even if they ARE family. Did they like the quilt? Did it make them happy? Will they use it? Does it even matter that I made it and gave it to them as a gift? And then, out of a clear blue sky on a frigid day in January, you open an email, and you have an answer *VBS* 
The little gal in the picture is Maddie. She's a senior this year, and yes, I know, she looks waaaay too young to be a senior. The quilt is question is one I made for her nearly 18 years ago, when she was born. Recently she asked her mom if it could be sewed?, fixed in some way? Her mom snapped the picture and sent it to my DD#1, who had gifted the gift to Maddie. All I can do is shake my head in wonder, and smile with my heart. The quilt was loved. And that's the rest of the story.

And here is the scoop...with or without a drumroll....

 
Back on Sept. 18th,I decided to challenge myself and see if I could finish some old UFOs before we rolled into the second decade of the 21st century. I invited anyone who wanted to, to join me. Over the period of several weeks, 31 gals joined, making us 32 stitchers strong.
We chose the number of UFOs that we thought we could finish by midnight on Dec.31st. The total number pledged was 175 UFOs! That's a lot of UFOs that wouldn't be laying around anymore. I am extremely happy with the outcome, and I hope you will be also.
Last year, I didn't seperate those who finished all or some, from those who didn't. In thinking about it, that doesn't seem fair to those who really made an exception effort. I've seperated it this year, and I hope that doesn't hurt anyones feeling. I feel we have the same opportunity, and I have always been willing to adjust the number of finishes up or down rather than have you feel overwhelmed. I believe you will find that statement in the first postings, or in the email I sent you when you joined us. Enough said. I think EVERY finish(of an old project) is a VICTORY.
Of the 175 UFOs pledged, 148 were finished!!! That is only 27 short of our goal. There were 8 joiners that I have heard nothing from regarding their pledges. Together, they had pledged(to themselves and us) to finish 27 UFOs. Please do grab your calculaor and check my math..I am aging you know...LOL.
What I've come up with is that that 24 of us removed 148 UFOs from our closets, drawers, and bags. Now that is TOTALLY AWESOME in my book. And I'd call it a SUCCESS for each of us. Thank you for joining in the fun. If I do it again, you'll know where to find me..I still have closer to a mountain than a molehill to finish *VBS* And a very special thanks to SUPER OVER ACHIEVERS(you know who you all are)who helped make this a very successful challenge! And YOU are the victors.

Oh, When the Quilts come Marching In.....

mine will be among them...we stood up and challenged ourselves and we did good!! But that deserves a seperate post. This is my finish #4. It's a Love Ya! strippy made from a jellyroll that my sweet friend Julie Q send me last Valentines Day. Jellyrolls seem to work well with the strippy method.
 This is the backing flannel I chose. Betsy and I bought the bolt with a 60% off one "on bolt" item at Mill Ends. It's full price was $4.99 a yd. We got it for less than $2.50. We split the yardage.
 And this little doll quilt, a Fence Rail, is my 5th finish. I know, it sure doesn't measure up against the BIG finishes of others, but I'll take it and be happy!!
 
This is the backing flannel, a charming scrap sent by Granny Lyn. Thank you Lyn, everyone loves the litte "Love Bug Herbie" cars *VBS* And now, onward to our grand total finishes!

Tick tock, tick tock...

the seconds slide into minutes, the minutes race toward hours, and in measured time, we move towards 2010. The beginning of the second decade in this amazing 21st century.  As time slips away, so do the minutes until our New Years Eve UFO Countdown ends. It's been fun and quite a wild ride. As you can see, altho I meant to get this Peppermint Delight together in 2009, it didn't happen. That has become a very familiar refrain in my book of lamments. Oh well, there is always next year. I think we've done well, and I'll be reporting the results tomorrow.
 This is a picture from Christmas Past. Hard to believe 4 years have slipped by since my youngest son brought his boys to my house that first time. The youngest is now 6 and getting to be very worldly. Big brother has turned 10, and there isn't much he doesn't know. I agree with the song "Old Devil Time"...and thank the powers that be for the ability to 'freeze time' at a particular moment and enjoy it over and over. Such a bunch of "measurers" we humans are. How far? How fast? How much? How soon? How far? We measure almost everything, and keep tally, one way or another. I don't find this to be a bad thing. I've been a Time Keeper, a Keeper of the Keys, the records, the totals, for a long time now, and I will continue to do so, as it's part of who I am.
 The Old Man of 2009 had his folly with me today...LOL, and I really need to laugh about it. Not as clever as I thought I was. I did have my #4 finish back before Christmas, but didn't take the picture or blog about it. As of last evening, in talking to Vivian, I didn't think I'd get #5 done. And then I decided to push myself towards that finish. And I did!!! About 8 p.m. tonight, while sitting with friends at the nursing home, listening to live music for New Years Eve. I was so proud. I came home anticipating the picture taking, and the posting of said pictures...hurray for me! Ya, right! I spread out #4 and snap a picture, then decided to flip over the corner and show the fun flannel backing. So I did, that was 2 pictures taken. Well, now just put this tiny doll quilt on the contrast of that backing and snap it's picuture. And at that point, both lights began to blink on my camera....not a good sign. I waited. They blinked. When they stopped, I hoped it would take one more, but for sure the batteries? KA-PUT! I know this. I should have taken them out and recharged them over the days I didn't use them. Sooooo, the camera won't let anything be down loaded until I can close the shutter, and I can't. Please believe me when I say I really DO have finish #4 and #5, and you WILL see them tomorrow, when the batteries are re-charged. In the mean time, this is the quilt I finished up tonight *VBS*
 
And last but not least, as the year slips toward its conclusion, Ebony and I begin another year together. She's still reclusive, stand-offish and extremely independent. She's not what I had anticipated in a companion animal, but she needs me, and I need her. We accepted each other enough to be co-dependent, and she stays. Happy New Year to everyone from Ebony and Finn

...and I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight...

"A Merry Christmas to All.. and to ALL, a Good Night. Didn't hear him say a word about what he did to poor Bessie! I suppose she's grateful for the earmuff *VBS* My wishes for you this holiday season, A happy and healthy holiday and upcoming new year!
 By firelight, and a candles soft glow, a change of pace. Less light needed, the friendly clicking of knitting needles. In America today we have no need for knitting our own socks, or those of loved ones. Perhaps that is the very reason behind sooo many younger women picking up the nearly lost needle arts. Whatever the reason, I'm happy to see it happening...does my heart good and feels like we are passing the torch, despite the tech rich age in which we live.
 
Nearly last, but not least, a fairly new UFO...a Holiday Peppermint treat. I'm hoping to get this one together before the end of the year.
And Last BUT not Least, I just HAVE to share the email I got from Michele of Quilting Journey...LOL. She never ceases to amaze and mystify me. Here's the letter I got today...Add to Finn's New Year's Eve Challenge: My final set of finished projects...

1 more quilt
3 small art quilts for AAQI
3 small quilted projects

I'm not adding in 4 dozen cloth napkins but I made those too ;)

I am now officially done for 2009 and laying down with a good book, an old magazine, or whatever I can find on our tv that still uses an antenna!


signed,
'not only done, but done in'

Michele ;)

...settling in for a long winters nap

 

The shortest day of the year has drawn in upon itself and the long period of darkness prevails. Winter has begun. It's been practicing for it's appearance for several weeks now. The dark winter sky arches velvet black above me, sprinkled with pinpoint diamonds of light. There is a glimmer and shimmer to the quality of the air, as I shiver, taking in the night.

The sun of late afternoon lays in deep bluish purple shadows across the snow..no mistaking the time of year. No warmth to the sun, no promise of the lengthening days that are to come. I wonder, does the world stand, poised, as it used to, in anticipation of winter solstice? I think not.

Light, energy, flash, boom and roar of a manmade kind shatters most landscapes. Matters not if they be woodlands or pavement...humans have arrived, claiming them all. To find "a woods on a snowy night, to have a horse and sleigh to find it with, to watch the woods fill up with snow"...no, I don't think so. But the "miles to go before we sleep, and the promises to keep.."that we still have.

I find solace in the promise the earth keeps for us...fulfill the time of darkness and then turn towards the light. We must remember..turn towards the light. This quarter of the year, so recently turned from autumn to winter, may lie at hand, but it begins with the shortest of all days, and slides continously toward the light. Light that balances the darkness always, and has it's moment of glory on the opposite side of the year.

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas...

and a white Christmas it will be. We have only a trace of fresh snow this morning. Mostly of this was from the storm a week plus ago. It makes all the skiers and snowmobilers happy. 
 I'm far behind in getting ready for Christmas but I did manage to bring out the Christmas Pineapple Blossoms quilt for the back of the couch. Looks good there, but "oh my"...those pillows need help!!
 A couple of Hoffman Christmas fabric panels(years and years old) will do the trick. I turned them into simple pillowcases, and stuffed the offending pillows inside. It does look better, doesn't it??
 
A nice close up...I'm pleased with my effort. Onward to the Christmas tree,hoping I can get it up today and a few more decorations put out. Lots of holly jolly to everyone who like it *VBS*

Joy in the UFO world...

 
The count continues to increase....almost need a drum roll here...113 UFOs finished so far!! And that quiet little mouse, that wasn't stirring whispered in my email ear that more are coming...AWESOME!