CHRISTMAS AND BIRTHDAY WITH ABIGAIL

We are now visiting DS#2, DIL & Abigail.  We arrived here Christmas Eve and will be here another week. 

Abigail, Me & DH

Abigail eating her birthday cake.

She's TWO!!!

She is a real sweetie!  We're having such a good time with her and, of course, our son & DIL.  We're camping in our camper not too far from where they live.  Yesterday, they came out to the camper and had a "picnic" lunch.  It was pretty warm, so we ate outside, went to the playground & to see the pig and geese that live at the campground.  Abigail and her cousin Jonah (he's 2 1/2) are such fun to be around.  We'll sure miss them when we go back home and are far away from them again.  Of course, two year olds do wear us out - but I guess that's what they are supposed to do.  

Happy New Year, everyone!

PICTURES OF LIGHTNING STRIKE

In my last post I told you how my oldest son's plane was struck by lightning while flying over Oregon.  He is a pilot for Federal Express and was flying through a snow storm.  He thought his engine had blown up, because there was a loud noise and a huge flash of light that blinded him for a minute.  It turned out that the wing had been hit and below are a couple of pictures.  The lightning put a couple holes through the metal wing.  You can see the size compared to his finger.  He was able to land the plane with no problem - once he realized that the engine was still running!  We are so thankful!!

We are visiting DS#2, DIL & Abigail now and I will be posting pictures soon.  Last night was Abigail's 2nd birthday party.  We were worn out by the time we got back to our camper.  We're camping near where they live.  

There is a giveaway for a new magazine over at Vignette in Stitches Blog.  It's a new magazine about quilters and quilts - what else?  Go over there to sign up for the giveaway.

OUR EARLY CHRISTMAS

We have been with DS#3 & DIL for a week now helping out with Jonah and the new baby, Eli.  Mostly, we're trying to keep Jonah occupied plus doing a lot of cooking.  Here are some pictures of this special time for  our family.

Eli and Jonah

Eli at 12 days

Daddy & Eli

Grandma & Eli

Jonah getting a haircut (with GM & GP)

Mommy, Daddy, Jonah & Eli

 Jonah having lunch in the camper with Grandpa - he wants to do it every day!

Eli today after having his weight checked - Yay!  he passed because he gained an oz. per day as instructed by the doctor.  He already looks fatter.

We took Jonah to a discovery play center while Mommy & Daddy took Eli to the Doctor.  Jonah notified everyone that the baby was at the doctor's!  He is talking a lot now.  I played a Ricky Tims "Jingle Bell" song and he loved it, so now he wants to play it several times per day!  I tried to link it, but it didn't work.  You can see it by going to You Tube & type in Ricky Tims Jingle Bells.  We'll be leaving here in a couple days and going to DS#2 to spend Christmas & Abigail's birthday with them.  I'll do another post when we get pictures from there.

Yesterday our oldest son, who is a pilot for Federal Express had a scare as he flew somewhere over the state of Oregon.  His plane was struck by lightening!  Fortunately, he is fine and was able to land the plane safely.  It was hit on one of the wings.  We'll find out more soon.  We're very thankful that he is fine.

Merry Christmas to all my blogging friends!

NEW GRANDSON!

Our new grandson, Eli, was born on December 7.  Here is a picture of him with his other GM.  It looks like he's trying to figure out what she's talking about.  Tomorrow we will go to see him and spend about a week there helping out.  Can't wait!

I made these cute angel ornaments from a pattern I got from the Dutch Sisters.  You can get the free pattern here.

I've been busy baking cookies to take with us, making lefse,  getting presents ready, etc.  We'll be with Eli's family for a week, then will go to Florida to be with DS#2 & family for Christmas & Abigail's 2nd birthday.  So we've got lots of presents ready to pack: new baby gifts, Christmas, birthdays, etc.

I think I told DH that I wasn't going to get any more doll beds to fix up, but I couldn't resist a vintage set of doll beds at a garage sale.  They can be set up as bunk beds and have wicker type sides.  I didn't take a picture of them yet.  I also got a really nice wood doll cradle.

In case I don't post again before Christmas, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

I AM ON A ROLL!!! ANOTHER WIN!

There are so many quilting bloggers having giveaways, and I enter them if it is just a matter of leaving a comment.  So, I have gotten very lucky lately and here is a fabulous giveaway that I won from Melissa at Libbies Home.  There are several pictures.  The first one has a candle on the left and 3 votive candles on the right in a wood box that says "Simplify."  These are battery lit candles and I love them!  They even flicker!  That's not all.

Next is this cute little pillow.....

Then, this stocking with the pattern and fabric to make several more.....

Then, these three snowmen on a string.  They really smell good.

And, last but not least, the plaid towel, which I placed in front of my fireplace with the pillow leaning on my rocking horse and the snowmen on a string hanging on the fire screen.   Can you believe all the cute gifts I received?  Thanks so much, Melissa!

Another blogger  (Thread Head) is having a "quilt along"  and I really like the pattern, so I decided to join in.  However, I'm not really quilting along very well.  There is too much going on right now, but I plan to pick up on it later.  I decided to make a couple test blocks to see how I like it.  The second block is this churn dash - and that is what actually convinced me to join in, because I had been wanting to make a churn dash quilt.  I love this block!  The 2 main fabrics were some I bought in Illinois when we were there and I love them.  

This block is called "Alabama Variation" and it will be the alternating block.  If you go to look at the web site you can see all the other blocks she has posted so far.  I am thinking about using some and not others, or even just using the churn dash blocks alternating with the Alabama variation block.  I will be thinking about this and won't be working on this until sometime next year.

In about a week and a half, we'll be leaving on our trip to visit 2 of our sons and their families.  We are looking forward to the birth of a new grandson and just being with our family.  I hope all of you will be able to spend some time with family over the Christmas holidays.

MANSFIELD PARK

No, it's not a Jane Austin movie.  It's a quilt - duh!!  That's the name of the pattern I've been working on and it's designed by Karen Montgomery, published by Timeless Treasures.  I saw it made up several years ago at a quilt show and that is the first time I ever had the desire to make a basket quilt.  I have spent the last several days putting the sashing and corner stars together.  It is in 3 sections right now.

I'm seriously thinking about sandwiching it in 2 pieces so I can comfortably quilt it on my sewing machine (since it's a double bed size).  Even though when I did this once before I swore I would never do that again!  However, that was a long time ago, and I think I've learned a lot since then and it might not be so bad after all.  For one thing, I would like to quilt it myself - after doing some big time practicing - and after I figure out how I want to quilt it.  Any suggestions would be welcome.

I'm winding up my Christmas preparations.  Yesterday I put up a few Christmas decorations, but not a tree.  We won't be here for Christmas, however, I'm not a total scrooge and I love the decorations.  How are your preparations going?

LUCKY WEEK!

This was my lucky week!  First of all, I received a package from Log Cabin Quilter in Florida containing all these darling vintage potholders and other crocheted items!  You can see her blog here.  Can you believe that she remembered from something on my blog that I collected these and got them for me!!  What a sweet lady!  Thank you so much.

This little hanging basket was part of the package.  I will hang it in my kitchen under a cupboard and maybe I can find something to put in it.  Any suggestions?

Then, I was notified that I had won this new magazine!  If you are a blogger, you might have known that  all the contributors of the 100 blocks had drawings that the Quiltmaker magazine would give away to all the winners.  I was very surprised that I won this!  There are a lot of neat new block patterns in this.  Where do these people come up with new designs all the time?

One day in JoAnn's I was looking at their quilting books and I decided to get this book with iron-on transfers for quilt labels.  I think all the books were 40% off.  I wasn't sure if I would like it, but I really do!  I have several quilts that need labels and I really want to do it.  Some of them are quilts by my MIL or owned by her.  I found several that I like and I have decided to embroider them.

Here's the first one I'm doing for the new grandbaby (which we just found out will be delivered on Dec. 7).  I am waiting until he is born to put in his name and date of birth.  I thought this came out really cute. I've got 2 others ready to start work on - one for an antique quilt and one that I made, but never labeled (shame on me).  

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!  Even with all the problems, we truly do have so much to be thankful for.

ANOTHER GIFT FINISHED

First, here is my stack of strip blocks.  I think I have enough for another quilt to donate.  It is so easy to make these and I really love the way they turn out.

I sew the strips to an 8 1/2" piece of telephone book paper.  Then I turn it over and cut off the edges sticking out.

It looks a lot better after being trimmed!

This was going to be a Christmas present for DS#3/DIL, but since we decided to just give stocking stuffers, I will say it is a combined birthday present (since one birthday is in November & one in December).  The pillow is about 48" long and I made it for their bed.  It will go with the quilt I made them a couple years ago.  

I put a zipper in back and piping around the pillow.  This is the first time ever that I put piping on a pillow and I didn't really enjoy the experience, but I'm glad I did it.  Before this, the only piping I applied was to some Christmas stockings.  

The pillow fit perfectly - what a relief!  

How is your gift shopping/making going?  I still have a little shopping to do.  Have a wonderful week!

GONE TO TEXAS

Monday night was my quilt guild meeting and we had a special speaker - Betsy Cutchian, author of Gone to Texas.  I was really interested in hearing her because I love reproduction quilts and history.  This is a combination quilting book and story of her great-great grandmother along with some of her journal entries.  She came to Texas from Kentucky in 1852.  None of the quilts that she made have survived, but by using the journal entries, Betsy was able to design quilts that are similar to the ones her GGG might have made.

I love the "Gone to Texas" quilt.  She had the actual quilt with her that she found in a heap on the floor of an antique mall.  She also had the quilt that she made that she copied from the original.  

This is another one that I really like.

Below is the quilt that I'm going to give the new baby.  He is due in one month and we will be going to help take care of Jonah (2 years old) and the family when the new baby is born.  This is the first baby quilt I ever made and I hand quilted it.

This picture shows the backing.

This one is a play quilt for the new baby.  

This shows the back of the play quilt.  I think I'm all finished with baby quilts for a while - at least, I hope so!  I'm wanting to get going on some of my UFOs.

There's a pond not far from our house and we went there when I took pictures for the Teddy Bears' Picnic book.  It's really nice and seems like a little "woods" really close to home.  I found these berries there yesterday when I took my walk.  I don't know what they are, but I thought they were pretty.

Hope you have a nice weekend!  We're supposed to get some cooler weather - finally!

AND THE WINNER OF THE GIVEAWAY IS.....

Quilt Sue from the United Kingdom!  I just sent her an email asking for her mailing address and I will mail her gifts this week.

This is what I made with the same charm pack that I am giving away.  This makes a nice baby quilt or lap quilt size.  I used 2 yards of the polka dot fabric that goes with the Moda "Happy" charm pack.  I had to add one more yard of a contrasting fabric to the back.

Congratulations Sue!

PLAY QUILTS AND STOCKINGS

I have been very busy getting some quilts made for Jonah, Abigail and the new baby (expected Dec. 7).  We will be taking care of Jonah while my DIL is in the hospital and we don't know exactly when we will get the call (obviously).  We're going to be partially packed so when they call, we can leave ASAP.  The neighbors will stay with Jonah until we get there - it's a 6 hour drive.

When Jonah was born I made a regular baby quilt and a play quilt, so I thought I better do the same for the new baby.  However, when we were on our trip, we saw a construction panel at a quilt shop and since Jonah's new bedroom has a construction mural on the wall, I had to get this panel.  This is now finished and it will be good to have something special for the "big brother."  Here is the front.

And here is the back.  One of my other DILs had gotten this map fabric a long time ago, but had never used it, so she gave it to me and I thought it would work well for the backing.

We will be spending Christmas in Florida with another son, DIL & Abigail.  I had bought this panel for a girl's play quilt and Abigail with get this for Christmas or her birthday (Dec. 27).  I don't know if you have ever looked for this type of panel, but it seems like it is easier to find panels for boys than for girls.  I was actually looking for a doll house type that had a view from the side not the top.  I don't know if she will know what these things are or not. 

Another project was stockings for 2 of my DILs.  Last Christmas I kind of made fun of one DIL's Christmas "stocking" because it really wasn't a stocking it was some kind of leather bag that they got in Africa and it was huge!  Her response was:  "Well nobody has made me a real stocking."  Well.....obviously, I had to make her a stocking.  And I was pretty sure Abigail's mother didn't have one either, so I made her one.  I found these kits in Idaho on a "Sale" table (I always seek out the sale section) and each kit had 6 fat quarters in them.   By using muslin for the lining, I was able to get 2 stockings out  of one kit!

I thought I would show how I have been basting quilts.  I have some tables that I set up in the garage and I have been spray basting the quilts.  In the picture I have the quilt top folded back so I can spray the basting stuff on the batting.  I do one half at a time.  However, I just basted a baby/lap quilt with straight pins because Joan at Keeping you in Stitches said she does that.  It sure is more economical than spray basting, because it is free!  

Don't forget to enter my giveaway drawing on my last blog post!  Thanks to all who have entered and left sweet comments!  I will be drawing a winner on Sunday.