Creative Juices

Not a lot has been happening in the sewing room.  I did get this top together and the borders on.  It's hanging in the TBQ closet.  It still need backing and binding.

And a former piano student texted to see if I could make a pillow case for her little boy who just moved into his toddler bed and has a toddler size pillow.  I have no idea what purpose I had when I purchased this reindeer fabric several years ago, but it was wonderful to put it to good use.  The white accent strip and red cuff fabrics both have snowflakes on them and were already languishing on the cutting table as leftovers from another project.  It was quick and fun to make.  I love a project with only 3 seams!

I convinced the hubs that leaving all of his cute projects just sitting on the bench on the porch was not a good use of his efforts.  I asked for some display and lights and this is what I got.  I have an old wreath that I want to add to the base of the deer.

This stainless steel milk can was my anniversary gift.  I asked for some lights for it as well, but it's staying inside for now.

Esme and Mabel have been taking it in turns to guard the nativity.  Esme especially tries to fit her bulk into the stable.  Maybe she's just trying to keep baby Jesus warm.  

Baby Jesus has had an interesting life.  When Sarah was a toddler, I used to find him all over the house.  She would sneak up to the back of the stable and reach in and take the baby to play with whatever she was playing with at the time.  It's truly a Christmas Miracle he's still with us.  

Christi

Hallmark Movie

Don't you just love a street that could be from a Hallmark Movie!

 My cousins, Pam and Susie moved to Marshall this fall and when we went with them to tour this house, I said, "Just pay attention, there will be a pile of gallon milk jugs in this house somewhere."  I was right.  This particular street is known for its milk jug luminaries and nativity scene at the end of the street.

I went over one evening when the snow was still on to take some pictures...........

Above is their house with the nativity scene my dad made for us several years ago.  We figured it would get a lot more viewing than at our house.

Some more of the neighborhood...........

Our snow has melted now.  It's still pretty cold though.  My hubby is predicting a white Christmas, so we shall see.

Christi

Thanksgiving and Christmas Lights!

 We had THREE Thanksgiving meals!  The first was the Friday before Thanksgiving with some Missouri Valley College foreign students.  It was a very interesting meal as we visited with students from Spain, France, and Brazil.

On the actual Thanksgiving, we went to my cousins' Pam and Susie's house along with my parents and had a delicious meal and played cards.  The day before, we helped them set up luminaries in their yard.  It is a tradition on their street that every yard is lined with luminaries.  I will get some pictures to put in a future post, but it is gorgeous.

My parents were sporting their Chief's sweatshirts.  We listened to the game as we drove to Sarah's.  Another loss. 😭

Sarah and I were up early to shop on Black Friday.  We made it to Penney's for their opening at 5 AM and then picked up the guys and went to Bass Pro, Menards, and Kohls.  After that, we were back at Sarah's where we helped her with some decorating and outside lights and had our third Thanksgiving meal.

She has a piano now, so had a nice place to put the nativity set her grandpa made for her.  And all 50 of her nutcrackers made it to the fireplace along with her stockings and pawkings.

And another round of photos..........

Friday evening we went to The Hill to eat.  There are some truly amazing lights in the Hill district.  We parked right by some............

We also went to Garden Glow at the Botanical Gardens.  It was beautiful but cold!

And when we got back to Sarah's several of her neighbors had lights on.

And Sarah had the nativity that grandpa made for her last year out and added some lights on the front of her house this year.

We got up to a snow storm in St. Peters on Saturday, but were able to make it home, slowly.  We had snow all day Monday with schools closing early.  Winter is definitely here!

Christi

From David's Shop

 The hubster has been working in his shop some.  Here are the results of his efforts..........

Here is the little snowman family he made from some nuts.  I was in charge of the scarves.  It didn't really seem to take much from my stash.  Apparently it doesn't take much fabric to keep a snowman warm.  I had this on the dining room table with the tree he made several years ago.  My mom really, really liked them when they were here for Thanksgiving, so they went home with her.

And then, another metal bucket design..........

And a nativity from old railroad ties.  Yes, he walked the tracks to pick up enough for this project.  He's gifting this one, so I'm hoping he'll walk the tracks again and find enough to make one for me.

Oh deer!  What have we here?  I thought this was a pretty creative use of an old pump.

And my anniversary gift.............

This old milk can has been in the shed for years holding the dog food.  He cleaned it up and cut this design which I love.  Here is the back.

And the actual inscription on the can..........

And here is the hubster on Thanksgiving Day (also our anniversary this year) with Blackie, brother to Harry Potter.

You can see the resemblance, right?????  

Yea, they are both cats.............that's about all the resemblance I can get.

Christi

End of the Month Sewing Recap!

 I know it's been awhile.  Life has been busy.  Let's try to catch up, shall we?  

First, let me share a little JOY!

I made this JOY table runner for the gift exchange for the online group I'm in.  (yes, check that one off the list).  It was fun to do.  I used a holly twist quilting design in it.

And I also pulled out this kit I had picked up at the Quilted Cow in St. Peters.  It's 2 dish towels that snap to go over an oven handle or drawer handle.  It will join the table runner as part of the gift exchange gift.  It went in the mail last Monday, so we can definitely check that one off the list.

My block lotto blocks were also finished.  I loved these little houses and could easily have made several, but I refrained and kept my block total to 5 since we have established that is the number for me to make to win.  Hope I win again cuz I would love to have these blocks.

I also made 3 more zipper bags so that can be checked off the list.  I have so many bag ideas, but am refraining from doing any more of these until after Christmas.  It was obviously and exhausting experience for Harry Potter too.  

And I made some more blocks for Sarah's Christmas quilt.  

I also made a couple more Pawkings (NOT on the sewing room to do list) for Sarah to go with the last 2 stockings I had made.  Here they are hanging on her mantle with the 50 (for those of you who don't want to count them all) nutcrackers she has collected since second grade.

And the Kitties in the Christmas Tree wall hanging is totally finished and hanging at my cousins' house.  It was fun to make and I may have to do it again.

Another finish - at least the cross stitch part - and NOT on the list was this Quaker Christmas Cross Stitch.  I haven't decided how I want to fully finish it yet, so it's just pinned to the bulletin board right now.

And (big pat on the back here), the Saltwater Taffy Quilt is totally finished and has been delivered to it's home.  I did the entire hand binding last Sunday - while watching the Chiefs win in overtime, watching a movie and 2 episodes of a TV show.  It was definitely a recliner day.

And while the longarm was running, I chose to work on something else that wasn't on the list........

I got the Waverly quilt top sewn together and am now in the process of adding borders.

Sew let's just review the list............

1.  Quilt Salt Water Taffy DONE!

2.  Quilt Kitties in the Christmas Tree DONE!

3.  Make gift exchange gift (for an online quilting group I'm in) DONE!

4.  Fix Deb's bag (yes, forgot to mention that I did this and sent it back to her)  DONE!

5.  Make Block Lotto Blocks DONE!

6.  Work on Sarah's tree blocks (I did make a few, so DONE!)

7.  Unpack/measure/etc stuff from estate sale  (yes, forgot to mention I did this as well) DONE!

8.  Zipper bags  DONE!

Obviously, it's time for a new list.  I also have several more photos to share, so be prepared for some rapid fire blogging (I know the anticipation is just killing you, right?)

How about a cut kitty photo to end this post?!

TTFN from Harry, Mabel, and myself.

Christi