Saturday, December 29, 2012

Last Stash Report of 2012

The last stash report of the year--my numbers haven't changed this week.

In Year to Date--158.5 yards 
Used Year to Date--117.75 yards
Stash is ahead 40.75 yards

I'm very happy with my numbers for the year.  I've used +100 yards.  And stash has grown less than 50 yards.  Quilting is FUN.  Tomorrow I'll re-examine last year's guidelines and make plans for 2013. 

Thanks Judy for the Stash Reports, they're both a great tool and entertainment!  Check here to see how many of us have been shopping!


 

Friday, December 28, 2012

Motivation Friday and a Few Pictures

I've been sewing.  


I worked on my paper pieced Double Wedding Ring arcs.  I have 62 done.   The book?  My FAVORITE childhood book--"Gigi-the story of a Merry Go Round Horse".  

Just some random pictures taken at my house---

Theresa and Ruby
Ruby at Ken's feet--life is GOOD!!
4 loaves bread--2 buttermilk honey white, 2 dark rye
Checking the crumb
Homemade Tiramisu--Christmas Day dessert
New snow beside my door
Did you read this on Judy's blog??

"After reading my emails this morning, seeing several interesting quilt shop sales and clicking a few too many buttons, I hereby declare that the last stash report of this year, and all years hereafter, shall be shared purely for entertainment purposes!"

That made me laugh!!  Henrietta--maybe we should go shopping???

I'm thinking about next year--"guidelines" (I hate the word resolutions), projects, and my UFO's.  Have you thought about 2013?  


 

Monday, December 24, 2012

"Twas the night before Christmas.....



Ruby the quilting dog heard Santa might need a spare reindeer.  She's getting last minute instructions from Henrietta.

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas!


 

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Sunday Stash Report

Only two Stash Reports left in 2012!  How are you doing?  This week I bought 6 yards.


A dark blue, a dark brown with itty bitty polka dots, and a diagonal stripe.  Frugal purchases--all $2.50@ yd or less.    I also made a few more bowlholders and hotpads--that used about 1/2 yd.   So that makes my stash report--

In This Week--6 yards 
In Year to Date--158.5 yards
Used This Week--.5 yards
Used Year to Date--117.75 yards
Stash is ahead 40.75 yards

Check out everyone's stash reports at Patchwork Times.
 
Its a quiet week here.  I caught a stomach flu--and well, that was quite inconvenient!   Henrietta helped me bake cookies--


The cookie stash is dwindling!  


 
 

Monday, December 17, 2012

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

Here are my yoyo blocks so far--

15 complete yoyo blocks
Its slow but steady progress.  Check out the rest of the Design Walls at Patchwork Times.

Goals for the week--

  1. one yoyo block
  2. finish two pillowcases
  3. one large bowl potholder

Its the last week before Christmas.  A bit more baking to do.  Are you ready??



Sunday, December 16, 2012

Sunday Stash Report

Two pillowcases, two large bowl potholders, and two flat hotpads used 3 yards of stash this week.

In This Week--0 yards 
In Year to Date--152.5 yards

Used This Week--3 yards
Used Year to Date--117.25 yards
Stash is ahead 34.75 yards

See how everyone is doing at Patchwork Times.

The Christmas tree is up, my angels are out, and the snowman are (mostly) in a row.  We made a double batch of Poppycock.  Mason was LOTS of help.  

Are you done shopping?  (I haven't started)  Baking done?  (shucks--most the cookies are GONE already!)  I do have all the decorations out--I love that part of Christmas.

Ken's been watching all the Christmas programs on TV.  My favorite is
A Charlie Brown Christmas.   Do you have a favorite??


 

Friday, December 14, 2012

Motivation Friday

Its been a busy week!  Time to check the goals--

  1. 1 yoyo block--YES
  2. 4 Flannel Sheets for grandkids--YES
  3. 1 pillowcase--YES--2 pillowcases

The new flannel sheets for Asher and Mason are done, and Mason has two new pillowcases to match his sheets.  


Mason is spending the week with us--we've been very busy!

Mason with sheets and pillowcases

Mason is learning to sew!
Mason is old enough to have a needle and thread.  He's practicing making yoyos like Grandma.  We use LOTS of thread.

We went to see my sister Kathy the librarian.  Mason and Kathy picked out books to bring home, and did the story "Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly". 

Mason and Kathy doing "The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly"
Check out the title on that first book!!


Mason and library books--note the title of that first book!
The weather was very warm and Mason and Ruby played in the snow while Grandma fixed a few outside Christmas lights. 

Mason and Ruby in the snow
Mason and I baked three double batches of cookies.  He unwrapped a whole package of chocolate kisses and only ate two! 

Mason unwrapping chocolate kisses 

We made Peanut Butter Blossoms, Chocolate Chip Pecan, and Cherry Nut Slice cookies.

Cherry Nut Slice cookies
You can find the recipe for Cherry Nut Slice cookies at Judy's blog.  They are now part of our holiday baking--thanks Judy!!

Saturday's forecast is rain, snow, and ice.  We're staying inside but hope the roads clear on Sunday so we can drive Mason home to Mankato.  His parents MISS him!!  


  




Monday, December 10, 2012

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

I'll have help in the sewing room this week---


Mason is spending the week with us and I KNOW he'll be lots of help.   He's already scoped out the sewing room looking for projects.  We plan to make new flannel sheets for him and Asher.   We've also planned some cookie baking and perhaps we'll dip Ritz crackers in chocolate.   Making Poppycock is fun too.   Please check out everyone's design walls at Patchwork Times.

Weekly goals---

  1. 1 yoyo block
  2. 4 Flannel Sheets for grandkids
  3. 1 pillowcase

I'm sure I won't get them all done.  Have you started thinking about next year?  I liked my 2012 "Guidelines" (resolutions are just SO stuffy sounding)--they worked for me.   I've really enjoyed my quilting this year.  Do you have 2013 planned?  Any special projects?  Its so much fun to read your plans!


  

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Sunday Stash Report

A bit of stash was used this week--5 yards for pillowcases and another half yard for bowl potholders.  Not much--but every little bit helps.

In This Week--0 yards 
In Year to Date--152.5 yards
Used This Week--5.5 yards
Used Year to Date--114.25 yards
Stash is ahead 37.75 yards

I'm pleased with my stash reports this year.  Over 100 yards used.  And although it appears that my stash has grown--it's not.  I can see a definite reduction in my storage cubes.  Where did it go?  Last week I counted--there are 20 finished tops to be quilted.  Almost all my tops are queen size or bigger.  Several of those tops have backings already made.   That must be at least 250 yards of stash!   I'll keep puttering away and yes--stash reports will continue next year.  I find it a great tool to guide my purchases.  Have you found stash reports helpful??  Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Ruby the quilting dog has a new look.  This was her last week---


And this is today--


Where is the rest of the dog??  Honest--I think she lost 10 lbs~!!  She still has her sleek girlish figure (she's 12yo).  Her head and ears were only trimmed, and her tail feathers are still long.  And I got a discount from the groomer because she said Ruby is a DREAM to work with.   Ruby was able to do one of her favorite things last night--


Ruby was in shoe heaven!

The view out my front door today---


Yes, the white stuff is here!  The wind has gone and its 9F and expected to drop to -4F tonight.  UGH  


 

Monday, December 3, 2012

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

Lots of sewing here this week.   I made four pillowcases--


These will go with the QOV when I send them off.

Next I read about these--


Bowl potholders!  We often have bits and dabs of leftovers to warm up in the microwave and we've juggled those hot bowls.  Now we can pick them up by the "ears".  Thank you Karen--the tutorial worked great.  You can find Karen's tutorial here.  Check more Design Walls at Patchwork Times.

Last week's goals--
  1. One more yoyo block--YES
  2. Two more sailboat blocks--YES all 12 done
  3. Three more Trip Around the World rows--No
New Weekly Goals--
  1. One more yoyo block
  2. Sash some of the sailboat blocks
  3. a pillowcase

That's all my goals for this week--Nick, Laura Beth and boys will be here Thursday nite--we're celebrating Asher's 1st birthday.  Hard to believe he's already a year old.  

The weather was unseasonably warm today--60's and parts of South Dakota saw 70's.  Ken and I worked outside pulling up flower stakes and cleaning flower beds.  We even mowed!  No grass--just mowed some weeds off! 

Have you been Christmas shopping?  Cookies baked?  Tree and decorations up??  We're putting up the tree after Asher goes home.  And--I never took down last year's decorations!  What you say??!!  Is she crazy??  Most my decorations are quilts, or small plaques and snowman.  I love them all, and just never put them away.  We have lights around our big window in the living room--clear lights--and they stay up year round.   I stockpile boxes of clear lights at Christmas time--my walls are white and its hard to find white wires on lights except at Christmas time.

Have a great week!!



 

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