Everything Done and Ready!

As promised here is a picture of Jenny's king size quilt. It hangs to the floor on both sides on this queen size bed. She sewed the binding on by machine this morning. Now she is working on hand sewing it down. I couldn't hang it over the bannister on the upper level and take a picture cause there is garland and lights on it. At least you can get a feel for the whole quilt with this picture.

And this is the little tree upstairs overlooking the great room.

I wanted to show the upstairs decorating but Raggs decided he needed to supervise. Honest, he sat there waiting for me to take the picture. He did such a good job I gave him a dog biscuit. So now ...

He wants to get in all the pictures! And he sat still while I changed to a tighter view. Hum, a photo hound!

These Santas are sitting on a small table on the landing of the stairs with a little soft angel horse. See the little cat? It is a new pin cushion my friend Judy gave me. It is made on top of a wooden spool. Too cute. The quilt to the left is a Pineapple Blossom -- directions are at Quiltville.

Kevin and Aimee arrived early this afternoon with Jenny and Brian arriving yesterday evening. We are all ready for Christmas. The presents are over flowing around the tree. Yikes, and there are no children under 26 here.

On the quilting front, I put the last two pieces of the border on my Mystery #11 from Mysteries for Relay. I am ready to piece the backing over the next few days. As I've said before, I want to have it completely done before 2010 starts! I'm on schedule for it so we'll see how it goes.

Hope your holidays are enjoyable and Happy Quilting All!

3 Days and Counting

I can't believe I am right on schedule. The house is ready -- cleaned and decorated.

The four stockings are done with names ......

And hung by the fireplace with care . . . .

The bears are trying hard not to pout . . . .

Most presents are wrapped and under the tree.

Tomorrow I roll out sugar cookies for the kids to decorate on Thursday. And, I think I'll squeeze some quilting time in there too.

I have one or two other decorations to show but the camera battery is low so I won't be able to until tomorrow. Until then --

Happy quilting all!

Making Christmas Progress.

As of last posting 1, 6 and 7 were either done or well on the way to being done.

I've been a busy quilter -- working on the rest of the things I need to do rather than the things I want to do.

#3 is done -- all four stockings are hung by the chimney with care along with the other 4 stockings. (some of the dogs will have to share stockings unless their mommy and daddy bring a stocking for them.)

#4 is 3/4th done. Names are on all but Kevin's stocking. All I need to do is cut out the letters and apply them. (phew, no handwritten paper notes pinned on the stockings!)

#5 -- presents wrapped. Well except for one person's who will remain nameless. (I got to lock myself in a room to wrap those presents...)

#8 -- Food shopping is done after hitting two different stores. Ooops, we still need orange marmalade, and lettuce and celery. Ok, BIG food shopping is done. Smaller, local stuff will be done, probably on Tuesday.

Our kids were hit with the 20+ inches of snow in Maryland. CraZy Kevin took his mountain bike and hit the trails in a state park earlier in the morning on Saturday. Aimee, smart woman that she is, stayed home and quilted. Brian and Jenny were in Ohio missing most of the fun. Nice that they have a townhouse to come home to as the snow removal is done for them.

We only got about 5". Not all that big a deal. I don't think we have any more snow coming this week. This will hold until after Christmas as we don't have any days with temperatures above 32 until Thursday.

Among all the Christmas preparations I have been working on mystery #11 from Mysteries for Relay on Yahoo Groups. The top is ready for borders. I have some of the back pieced. After I put the borders on I will use some of the border fabric to fill out the backing. (not that I have enough and I think I will save some for the binding.) I am hoping that I can quilt and bind this before the end of 2009. I'd like to use a substantial amount of fabric for December. And, that way I would actually use more fabric than I brought into the house in 2009. I have one other quilt that just needs borders (which I have) and then quilt it (and I have the backing!) Maybe that one will get done in 2010.

Happy Quilting All!

Cookie Swap II

Cookie Swap II is today and I am ready! Here are all my cookies ready to go in a basket. I couldn't find a big enough basket to carry all of them so I have to bring some in a shopping bag. At least it looks festive here -- red plaid.

Saturday we bought our Christmas tree and brought it into the house. So far it is half decorated. It is about 9' because we have high ceilings in the great room. We have the best tree lot -- all the trees are $29.99! Wow. No wonder we could get such a big tree. If we'd been there earlier we could have gotten a taller tree! (not sure it would have fit into our tree stand though!)

We've got two more boxes to go through to add to the tree. But that will be another day. Raggs has been pretty good about it. He sniffs it but that is about it. On the other hand, we've both been about when he's been near the tree. Wait til the whole pack shows up. (3 more dogs for Christmas!)

And, Raggs has to be spruced up too. Here he is after his bath. Doesn't he look pathetic here? Poor baby. But he smells much better and someday that fur will grow out. And, in the meantime he curls up pretty tightly when he goes to sleep.

You might be asking how I am doing on my to do list from last posting?

1 -- Hair is cut and looking oh, so much better!

6 -- Started meal plans. Need to add to them so we have meals for all the days the kids are up here.

7 -- Cookies are ready to be taken today.

The rest are in the works or a day planned to do so.

Keep warm and Happy Quilting All!

TWO Weeks to Christmas

And I'm not ready. So, let's make some plans here to get it together.

First -- hair cut -- I can't stand my hair now -- too long

Second -- last minute gifts. Hum. . . can't admit who is on the last minute list they all read this.

Third -- finish the last stocking.

Fourth -- get names on all four stockings.

Fifth -- wrap

Sixth -- plan meals

Seventh -- make 8 dozen cookies for swap #2.

Eighth -- shop for food

Ninth -- oops got to go to get ready for hair cut.

I'll be back! Heheheh

Cookie Swap I

I made 3 batches of cranberry, white chocolate chip cookies! I decorated bags, made little tags, stashed the cookies in and tied it all up with a bright red ribbon.

I stashed the bags into a decorated basket to tote to the swap location. I wish I brought my camera to show you all the gorgeous containers filled with cookies!

And, if you've been hearing about the cold weather -- here's our morning temps. Top is outside, bottom is in the house but right next to the window. I'm sure it wasn't that cold inside!

I was able to get nearly an hour and a half of sewing done. Tomorrow I'm planning the whole morning in the studio. I'll get one top done, finish clue 1 of Carolina Christmas on Quiltville. And, maybe I'll get the last stocking done. We'll see how it goes. Raggs isn't particularly fond of the snow we've got. He's hoping for some warmer weather!

Happy Quilting All!

Taa Dah!

Making progress on the Monster Quilt . . . batting is off the floor.

The take up roll is running into the machine head... must mean more is getting done!

Batting moving up . . .

Oops... that's all the batting that is left after finishing the quilting. Phew. One good reason we didn't want a lot of quilting on this quilt.

It's DONE!

I'm going to let it "age" on the rollers for a few days -- I don't need Ruthie for a while.

Now, it is time to get on to baking cookies for two swaps. Tomorrow night I need 5 dozen bagged by the dozen and ready to go. Next Wednesday I think I need 9 dozen bagged in half dozens. I've already planned the recipe and the trial run of it turned out great. So tomorrow I'm doing cookies (probably 3 batches.) And, then I want to dress up the bags I am putting them in so they are "cute". Any spare time I think I will sew the rows of the last Mystery for Relay quilt which is all over the bed in a guest room. Hum, need to clear that off as Kevin and Aimee will be up for Christmas as will Jenny and Brian. So we're looking forward to a full house.

Time to make dinner . . . or at least my part of it.

Happy Quilting All!