For The Birds….Hearts…and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

  Another piece of wonderful yard art from my friend Loretta…the birds will be dinning in style  at our house now.   The glass is so pretty and I love the chicken feeder attached in the middle.  As soon as the honeysuckle grows back it will be the perfect backdrop!

 

Then she has a couple more to tempt me……love the blue,  and look at this one made from an outdoor light fixture….she is amazing!  We are all hunting glass for her because we don’t want her to run out :-)!!!!!

I spotted a cute Valentine project on Pinterest and I was talking to a friend about having to cut out  tons of hearts…she says “I have a tool for you!” ….and zip, zap, bam tons of hearts cut!!  Shut the back door.  How have I missed these things?!  Guess me avoiding getting in to scrapbooking probably has something to do with it.  She has at least 20 other types of cutters…now the trading begins.  We are going to be trading tools for quilty things!

2011 has been one fast year and one good year for our family.  We have much to be grateful for, which was my word for the year.   I thank Kelly for that!!  So bring on 2012 …. I know there will be ups and downs, but with our wonderful family and great friends we can handle anything.   From our family to yours HAPPY NEW YEAR blogland.

It Was A Very Good Day

Christmas was so much fun…watching  The Dots open their presents and having a wonderful day filled with family…….well it was just plain perfect.  Lots of laughing, and way too much eating, but again very perfect!
I opened my package from my SSCS partner Patricia ………OMW, so stinkin’ cute is this sweet bag!!!  I am crazy over this fabric, and please notice the polka dot handles and sides!  Her embroidery in the squares is perfection.
There’s my sweet bird ornament that she made me checking it out also!!  In the inside was this wonderful pattern and floss.  Like I told Patricia, this is going in my to do box for sure.  Thanks so much Patricia, and thanks Chookyblue for being such a great Elf!!!
Today was a lazy day.  I worked on a binding for a bit and then got the itch to sew something. 
I made a couple little pouches out of this cool Jo Morton vinyl fabric.  It’s the pattern that has the tape measure in the top….fast and easy for sure.  It was nice just to have a lazy day after the face paced month that went on around here…..and today I’m thinking more laziness might just happen!!   Happy Tuesday everyone.

Merry Christmas

 

To all bloggy friends near and far, wishes for a very, very Merry Christmas!!  Hugs to you all!!!!!!!

December Strut Your Stuff

  It’s time to post December’s projects.  A fun year of making a present a month has paid off!  In the last week I have wrapped and sent off 8 hand made gifts.  Normally in the past I would to wishing I had made hand made gifts.  Thanks Allie for this wonderful club.  You can check over here at Allie’s to see what others have made for the month.   First off I did finish The Dots countdown to Xmas bags on December 1st .  The boys have had great fun opening a bag each day, and my daughter in law has a Elf On The Shelf that has been helping with the goodies….so much fun!!!   Then there was the sweet little button Xmas tree we made in our holiday workshop class.  So fun, and easy.  A great project for this time of year.  I got both of the bindings on Grinch Xmas quilts for the boys (and pillowcases too), but no picture :-( !!  They are happily using them at their house though.

Last weekend was full of Xmas fun.  Friday night was gingerbread house night with daughters friends from high school….and boyfriends!!!   The Dots had a ball….little one here loved eating the candy!!  Sunday was our annual family Christmas party hosted by my sister in law and brother in law.  It was so much fun.   Italian was the theme for the day, with my sister in law making the most yummy Lasagna….ending the day with the swap and steal gift exchange….always a highlight of the day.  This year we were 33 plus, so you can bet there was lots of stealing!! 

Now for me wrapping has to be done.  I haven’t even started, so I better make tracks.  Happy Tuesday to you!!!

YIPPPPPPEEEE…Santa Sack Goodies And My Friend Loretta

Yesterday was our day to open our Santa Sack goodies and I forgot!!! Can you imagine after all this time?!  Here’s my sack full of goodies…..
This wonderful wall hanging titled “Flirting With Flowers”, and hand quilted I might add..so pretty!  It fits exactly in my entry way, so come Spring I know what will be hanging there.
Then a very sweet mug rug and two mugs, a wonderful quilt calendar, some sweet fabric pieces, 10 inch squares of Antique Faire, and a jelly roll of Hometown….Sharon how did you know I wanted both of these lines???!!!!

Look at that cute little snowman bag, and tucked inside was this wonderful Mary Englebreit fabric with some very pretty floss to go along… this is so me!!!!
POUCHES!!!!   Love them all…a sweet tissue holder, a zippered pouch and a perfect one for credit cards…expertly made I might add!  Also, a mini sewing work station, with a place to hold your thimble and a magnet on the side for your needle…my favorite part of this, handmade and signed by Sharon’s dad.  This means so much that you gave this to me Sharon.
I know what you are thinking…there’s more?  Yep, sweet flower pincushions (one for a spool of thread), tape measure, marking pencils, letter beads,  a wonderful bag of findings and a sweet key ring.….also not making the picture were some much needed needles and pins!!!  Thanks Sharon..you are one great Santa!!!!
Whewwwwwwww, that’s a load of goodness, then the mail comes today and I get another parcel from my other Santa Sack partner Amanda!!!!  I am a very lucky girl.  The birdhouse was not wrapped, so no cheating on my part.  How cute is that birdhouse, and the rest will wait to be opened on Xmas day. Thanks Amanda….another great Santa!!!
Now some bragging about my friend Loretta.  She makes the most beautiful yard art from found pieces of glassware and metal.  So amazingly beautiful. 


I have some others that are glass that I haven’t taken pictures of and the most amazing bird feeder ever…..that will be on my next post!!!  She came to our friendship group a couple weeks ago and every single piece she brought was scooped up!!!  Loretta you are so talented.
Well, guess I have blabbed enough….hope you all have a great weekend and are getting all your Xmas shopping done!!!

I Suppose I Was A Bit Overly Optimistic…..

…….thinking I would get the binding on both of The Dots Xmas quilts for FNSI!!!!   BUT, I did get one done.                     
The night just wasn’t filled with sewing, it was Big Dots very first Christmas show with his friends from preschool.  It was sweet, wonderful, funny and very touching…..a wonderful memory for us all.
Our little man is growing up way too fast and so is his baby brother.  Seems like his daddy there was just in a preschool performance himself!!!  Love our sweet family.

Happy Weekend everyone.

So Much Fun Happening!

This time of year is just plain busy for all of us isn't it?!!! ….so here comes my random catch up post!!!

I made these cute count down to Xmas bags for the boys.  My daughter in law found the idea on Pinterest and with technical support from my friend Carol, I whipped them up. They are now hanging over at The Dots house over their fireplace, each day a surprise to open.  Our Christmas Workshop group had it’s last meeting Monday.  Theresa and Joan, as usual, had a great project lined up!   I was over an hour late so apparently I missed the major whining time when everyone was told they were to make 30 yoyo’s!!!  Once again we had no idea what we were making with all those yoyo’s….but here is
what they were used for.  A sweet little tree on top of a candle stick with buttons to decorate it with.  We were all thrilled and quickly realized making all the yoyo’s was well worth it…and my friends chipped in and got me caught up on my yoyo making.  Great job Theresa and Joan.  We want more!!
This week I visited my friend Judy at her cute gift shop, O’Flanary’s Emporium.  It is filled with such wonderful Xmas decorations and gift items made from crafters in the area.  This place will definitely get you in the
Christmas spirit and it’s a great place to pick up presents for friends and family.  You can always find things that you just don’t see anywhere else, and on top of it visiting with Judy and her husband Bob is always so much fun.  Judy is one talented lady.  She not only owns the shop, she also makes things to sell and you can find her decorating homes and businesses in the area.  She is definitely a busy lady this time of year!!

My SSCS parcel arrived from Patricia in Australia.  How exciting and how hard not to have a peek.  Here is my sweet birdie ornament that she made for me…..made out of the most beautiful Cambodian silk she purchased in Cambodia.  I wish you could see and touch it in person.  The silk is so pretty.  Thanks so much Patricia.  He has made himself right at home in our Xmas tree..  Thanks Chookyblue for hosting this fun swap. 
Yesterday was an excursion to my LQS  with my friend Carol and a meet up with Deb.  There were so many things to tempt us there, but have to say we were pretty strong.   This Friday is our Sew-In night and my plan is to get the bindings on The Dots Xmas quilts and maybe sew a couple pillow cases to go with them.    Thanks to Heidi for hosting the Sew-In, and there's still time to sign up if you are interested!!!
Mr. P. is having so much fun working on the train.  There’s now a covered bridge that houses the train when it’s not working as well as an open bridge .  Landscaping is going on and plans for buildings are in the works!!   The boys (big and little) LOVE it.  As soon as the weather warms up I am pretty sure this will be the place to hang out all the time.

So there you have it….a catch up post on the happenings in Polka Dot land.  Happy Thursday to all of you!