Christmas Thru The Year Finish and Fun Stuff

 How is it possible it’s the end of November???!!  AMAZING!  So it’s time to report on what I did for my pressie for the month.  It’s actually a present for the Big Jolly guy.

A little mat to thank him for bringing such wonderful goodies to  The Dots and a nice place to set a cup of hot chocolate and cookies for him . It will be waiting by the tree at The Dots house.  Check out Allie’s blog to see what others have made!

Yesterday was a fun day at Disneyland.   My son and family, his best friend from high school and his sweet family and nana and papa.  Our girl and her guy had to miss out and boy did we miss them.  It was time to catch up with an old friend too!!  Mr Mickey sure holds his age well.  The weather was perfect..not to cold and not to hot and we walked our legs off. 

There’s nothing like Disneyland to get you in the holiday spirit.  Now unforunately it’s back to the binding cave!!!  Business is BOOMING!!!   Happy mid week everyone.

A Weekend, Camp and an Xmas Project

Last weekend was a family getaway to Lake Arrowhead.  My family surprised me with it for my 60th birthday last month….excuse me, I am still in denial over the 60 part!!  At the last minute we decided to have a turkey dinner since both my girls have to work Thanksgiving.   My daughters first turkey….so very, very yummy.  Side dishes made by both girls and myself.  My girls are terrific cooks, good thing because it just isn’t my favorite thing!!!   The cabin was so perfect…a log cabin decorated cute as can be.  We played games, laughed and laughed and laughed.  So great to have everyone together….I didn’t get many pictures.  Too busy having a good time.  I will have to snag some from my kids to show later.  It was absolutely the best birthday present ever…spending a whole weekend with them all was AMAZING!!!!  Love you guys bunches :-)!!!

Then there was quilt camp last week at beautiful Camp Cedar Glen.  Catching up with quilt buddies is always so much fun and sewing for four days with my friend Annie…WONDERFUL!!!   Oh yeah and quilting!!!  I was very productive, lots of  secret Xmas sewing and then there was a Jelly Jam challenge that was timed!!!!  Here’s my jelly roll strips in a pile sewn end to end, then again and again and again and finally this is what I got ……..

The winner sewed all her strips in to a quilt in one hour and 5 minutes.  Us human quilters sewed ours in about 3 1/2 hours!!!  My friend Nicole (on the right) used the same jelly roll that I did and she got very creative ….she freehanded the tree shape to match the trees in the fabric.  Stinkin’ cute I say!  That’s Sue Bouchard on the left…Eleanor’s right hand girl.

Eleanor and the girls always entertain us and always bring great new patterns along to tempt

us. I can’t wait to make this in 30’s.  She named the quilt Kylee’s Kite after her granddaughter.   I am always drawn to quilts that have what looks to be curves in them.  I heart  this quilt…..there’s my sweet friend Annie on the left.  She teaches classes at Quilt In A Day, and one of these days I’m going to surprise her and sign up for a class.   Not only are there new patterns to tempt us, but there is a mini store  to shop in with great deals on fabrics….$4.00 a yard for some!  Then there was something that caught my eye.  I use Quilting Betweens size 10 for my bindings, and threading seems to be getting harder and harder….guess it’s that 60 year old thing again……when I saw this new threader from Bohin and it said for fine needles I just had to have it and it is WONDERFUL!  Works like a charm.

I did make a couple Xmas quilts for The Dots, but again everything else is top secret…don’t even try you can’t get it out of me!

The last night of camp there is a fun raffle with proceeds going to a local Women’s Shelter.  Everyone brings quilty goodies from home to donate, tickets are purchased and then the fun begins.  From both camp sessions $1,900.00 was raised. 

Last night was another Christmas Workshop class.  Again, no idea what we were going to work on and again….LOVE the project.  My guys faces are kind of wonky, but Theresa and Joan assured me that means they have personality!! 

It’s always fun when  there’s a box waiting on the porch.  This one was from my swap partner Sharon  …. two bags of Kisses right on top!! Woohoo, does my swap partner know me or what!!  Waiting, waiting not so patiently for Xmas morning to open all the goodies.  It has been so much fun to get to know Sharon.  She is one productive quilter.  

Fall has finally arrived.   The colors are popping up all over the place.  

Wishing all of you in the States a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Lot’s Going On!

The Dots are on their way over, staying still Monday.  Their Mommy and Daddy are headed to San Francisco for the 49er game tomorrow, with best friends from high school.  We will be having our own fun!!!  Lots of train construction happening, reading books and PLAYING!!!!!

The there’s this going on!!  This picture only means one thing ….. QUILT CAMP!!!!   I’m heading out Monday for four days with the Quilt In A Day girls.  I am so excited to see my friend Annie and catch up with everyone else.  Now don’t be laughing at me, but that blue box on the left is filled with TONS of projects….I see you laughing!!  Not very big things but lots of sweet things I have been dying to make.  I finally will have something quilty to post next week.  I know..about time!

I love tin signs, don’t know why but I do.  A sweet friend gifted me with this one.  She is always saying my binding business is like The Little Engine That Could, and this reminded her of that!

 

Thought I would share another recipe. I got this off of Pinterest and it is so yummy.  Even The Dots liked it.

Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken

12 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 3 pounds); 3/4 cup sugar; 3/4 cup soy sauce; 6 tablespoons cider vinegar;  3/4 teaspoons ground ginger; 3/4 teaspoon minced garlic; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 4 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch; 4 1/2 teaspoons cold water; Hot cooked long grain rice.

Place chicken in a 4 qt. slow cooker.  In a large bowl, combine the sugar, soy sauce, cider vinegar, ginger, garlic and pepper.  Pour over chicken.  Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or until the chicken is tender.  Remove chicken to a serving platter; keep warm.  Skim fat from cooking liquid.  Place liquid in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Combine cornstarch and water until smooth.  Gradually stir  into liquid and stir until sauce is thickened.  Serve with chicken and rice!!  SO YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMY!!

Wishing you all a great weekend.  I’m off to wait for my guys to arrive!

Some Little Bits…..

  Last night was week two of our six week Christmas Workshop.  When we got to class this is the pile of goodies we were given.  Mind you, no hints, no pictures …nothing!!!  Theresa and Joan should be working for the CIA because we couldn’t get anything out of them.  Our friend Debbie even offered $50.00 to give up the goods!!!  Then cutting started, some whining from those of  us who wanted to know what we were doing (a friendly kind of whining though), some sewing, some more whining, some turning and putting in a LARGE grommet…….finally  a very sweet tissue holder was born, with ginger guys marching around all sides!  I have to miss next week (more on that later).  So back to little bits, because that’s about all the sewing I am getting done around here.  Wishing you all a very happy week filled with some bigger bits!!!

Pumpkins!

Last night was my friendship group….those girls are so much fun!!  Anywho, at the quilt shop they are hosting a six week holiday workshop.  Some projects will be Xmas goodies, and some not.  Last night it was pumpkin making night.  They were so much fun to make and so easy.  I started with one, and couldn’t stop, so I ended up with three sweet pumpkins. Theresa and Joan had all the fixins for us.  They even had sewn the seam on the pumpkin tube.  We just had to gather the ends, stuff and add the stems, leaves and raffia.  LOVE THEM!!!!  Each week the projects are a surprise.  We tried and tired to get a clue, but no luck!  Can’t wait to see what we make next.

One thing I love about doing bindings is getting to see all the wonderful projects.  Here is one of my very favorite Xmas projects that my friend Sue made…..Donder and Blitzen.  I heart this quilt!!  The fabrics are absolutely yummy and even better you can get a kit here…..Hollyhill Quilt Shoppe in Oregon.  Sue did a beautiful job on the piecing and buttonholing……I’m definitely going make this one!

On the home front, Mr. P. is putting a garden railroad in the backyard.  Construction has started and the train and tracks are down….

here the  men folk are checking out the wheels..what is it with boys and wheels??  There will be landscaping happening and buildings to be built and lots of good times ahead.  Little Dot supervised from his favorite spot….the jungle gym!! 

One day I’m going to surprise everyone and actually quilt something…hoping I can remember!  Happy Thursday everyone!