CASCADIA LINKY PARTY

Time to link my blog to Lori's where everyone is sharing their Cascadia doll quilts!  This was so much fun to make.  For one thing, I already had a bunch of 4-patches that I could use as well as strips and 1 1/2" squares of reproductions in a basket.

This picture shows the backing.

Right now, it is living on the back of this chair in our living room.

Go to Humble Quilts to see more!  Thanks, Lori!

MORE CHRISTMAS SEWING

On my last visit to my 5 year old GD Abby, I gave her the following 2 outfits.  One for her 18" doll Lulu...

This isn't Lulu, it's my "model" for trying on clothes.  Her hair got cut off and she was sold at a garage sale.

and one for a boy doll.  The plaid fabric is something that I picked up at Good Will and the black was given to me by my oldest GD.

Abby has 4 dolls that she plays with a lot.  When I was there, I noticed that I had been favoring Lulu with the most clothes.  Probably because there are so many cute patterns for that size doll (18").  So I decided I needed to make some more for the smaller dolls, 14" and 15".

They also didn't have any underwear.  I bought some cotton knit somewhere and decided to try to make panties.  I have a pattern for an 18" doll that included them, so when I made them, I was happy with the result (on the left).  I didn't have a pattern for a smaller doll, so I just decreased the pattern in my printer and made a smaller pair that might (hopefully) fit a 14" or 15" doll,

Here's another outfit that I made for the 14" doll, Gracie.  Now 3 of the dolls have an outfit out of the same plaid fabric.

Today while out shopping I stopped at the Good Will store and saw some fat quarters.  There are 2 of each and they are Moda fabrics.  I paid $2.99 for 2 FQs of each (3 1/2 yards)!

I still have a couple more things to get done before Christmas not including baking cookies.  We're looking forward to our oldest GS getting back from college for the Christmas break!

MOUSE COOKIES REVISITED

 Back in 2008 I made mouse cookies for the first time and blogged about them here.  Click on link which will lead to another link for the recipe.  I hadn't made them since then and now I know why.  They are not really fun to make!  They are kind of cute, though.

First roll into a ball with one pointy side.

Then roll in the crumbs.

It's really messy!

Add nose and eyes (Nerd candy), ears (almond slices) and tail (licorice).

Kind of cute!

I didn't get very many.

Attack mice!

Put in refrigerator to harden up.

I hope someone will like them!  This afternoon we go to see our DGD perform in the Nutcracker Suite, and tonight a friend's choir concert.  Enjoy the season!

SOME CHRISTMAS SEWING

Here's my design wall with some blocks from Bonnie Hunter's pattern, Bow-Dacious.  I have put the scraps away for now so I can work on some Christmas projects.  

Here is one of the blocks that I sewed together wrong.  I might leave it this way!

I just finished these "play" cookies for my 5 year old DGD, Abby.  I play "dolls" with her and last time we were there in November, she couldn't find any play food to feed the dolls.

This is my favorite one.  They are made from felted wool and beads.

Here's the cookie tin I got for her to keep the cookies in (hopefully).

They fit in the tin nicely,

This is the pattern that gave me the idea for them - but I'm sure you could make up your own and wouldn't really need a pattern.

We have some extended family that will be here for Christmas.  One is a nephew in the National Guard, so I made him a military pillowcase out of this fabric.

Another is a student at Oregon State, so he gets a pillowcase out of this fabric.

These pillowcases are finished.

There wasn't much military fabric available in town so I found some US Navy fabric on line - hope she has enough of it for me.

Yesterday I made 2 batches of cookies and I have another one planned for today.  Have fun getting ready for Christmas!

FAT QUARTER BAG

A couple months ago I ordered this book "Fabulous Fat-Quarter Bags" by M'Liss Rae Hawley from C&T Publishing.  They had a "special" offer and the prices were super low, so I ordered this book and 2 others.  

I needed a gift and decided to make a bag from this book.  The name of the bag is "Fat-Quarter Carryall."  That should have been a clue that it was a large bag.

So, I had the pattern, and needed the fabric - 6 fat quarters.  Last year in May or June, I entered a giveaway for some FQs and won them.  It just so happened that the location of the blogger was real close to our son's house in Oregon where we were going, so we decided to meet at the LQS where she would give me the bundle of fabric.  The blogger was Amity Quilter who moved away shortly after we moved here.  :-(

Anyway, I used the 6 FQs to make this bag, but then I needed fabric for lining and handles, so I hunted through my stash closet and saw this polka dot that I had gotten at Good Will.  Yea!

 

The FQ Carry All is finished and it will carry a lot of stuff!

Are you making gifts?  Have fun!  I need to make a few more gifts and I'm also going to start baking this week.  Only 2 weeks until Christmas?  What?  Better get busy.

SOME DECORATING

Years ago my MIL made jewel Christmas trees from her jewelry and some little Christmas lights.  We hung it up every year and then the lights burned out.  We finally got it fixed and are able to hang it up again. 

This wall hanging is in my sewing room.  I got the little Christmas tree at a garage sale for $1.00.  Some small ornaments and scraps of cloth tied on branches for color and it's done.

This wall hanging is a panel that I hand quilted back in 2006.  It is at the entrance to my sewing room.

We don't have a fireplace any more to hang our stockings on, so DH hung them on the quilt rack!  

At first I didn't set up my nativity scene because I didn't think I had room for it, but I shifted things around a little and made room.

Our new bookcase is a great place to put decorations - even on top!

Several years ago we switched to a smaller tree, but I still fit a lot of ornaments on it.  Oh oh, Mrs. Moose fell over under the tree.

That's better.  I made her out of a panel several years ago.  I'm partial to moose.

My new snowman is hiding under the flowers next to the mini doll carriage.

Here's a newly wed Mr. & Mrs. Snowman.  She even has a lace veil.  Guess where I got them?

My DGD has been over to do some sewing with me the last few days.  It is fun to see her making gifts for her friends.  I do help her from time to time.  She gave me this tin that she decorated for me.  I guess she knows me pretty well!

I hope you show your Christmas decorations when you get them up.  I love to see them!