Kayla has been very busy getting Christmas patterns into our online store. Here they are:
Trimmings, A Christmas Tablecloth
Kris Kringle
Long Winter’s Nap
Christmas USA
Cardinals In the Thicket
Candy Cane
I apologize for the dark color – think RED.
Reader quilts:
I can’t get the second photo off! Sorry!
This was my project this morning – I have been putting it off forever but now, thankfully, it’s done! All the white pitchers had to be washed as well as the shelf, walls and light fixtures. I could not believe how dirty it was – ick! This is where I took down all the little quilts for a change and now I’ll hang up a Christmas quilt.
The kitties go back to the shelter this afternoon – which I’m dreading – and then I have to go back to Verizon with my phone. You want to say “hated errand”? Ugh. Then I’ll be ready to get out the red and white quilts and the Christmas decorations. Another big job but fun in the long run.
I’m working on a pretty complicated project in the shop while I keep the kitties company – about two more sections/seams and I’ll be ready to show you.
Have a nice Monday, Everyone! Tell me what you’re doing today – I know you’re all just as busy as me.
My husband got the riding lawnmower going and I went out and mowed/blowed leaves! He handled a rake and we got all the leaves off the yard and blown into the cow pasture. Then we took all the stuff out of the garage and swept it out. Now it’s ready for winter, the farm truck gets parked in the garage in the winter and there is room for the skid loader when he needs to push snow. I’m so glad to have those jobs finished!
I loved seeing all of the beautiful Christmas quilts today. I also love your white pitchers. Ironstone may be? I am getting my Fall decorations put away today and I’ll bring up the Christmas tree and decorations. Bailey will supervise the procedure. This weather is so nice that I also want to spend some time outdoors. I still have a few pots of annuals that should be cleaned up and put away for the winter. My porch chairs need to go to the garage, too. Is anyone else still eating turkey leftovers? I think I will finally finish off mine for lunch this noon. I will miss seeing those adorable kittens on your blog. I pray they will go out to good homes.
I’m finishing my second cup of coffee while reading email. I’ve put away most of my Autumn decorations and have my Christmasy quilts out, ready to press and hang. My favorite is the red and white buzz saw like yours! The outside lights and decorations were put up the day after Thanksgiving since the weather has been unusually warm for this time of year. I loved seeing all your pitchers on the shelf and your music room just beyond. It looks so inviting! Merry Christmas!
I need to get out more Christmas decorations. I have two aprons and a dog coat to cut and sew. I am working on a couple of wool appliqué projects. I was happy to see the cement trucks come in this morning to complete the floor in my mother-in-law apartment. I have many things to keep me busy. Hope everyone has a good day.
Diane in WI – sounds like you’re busy, too! Are you having cement floors? We have them in part of our house – the newest part and we have heat also in the floor – it’s the most even heat anywhere in our house!
I know you are going to miss the kitties terribly, who wouldn’t – watching kittens playing or even sleeping is the best medicine around. Of course, the love of puppies no matter how old they are is just as good, warms your heart and lifts your soul. Thank you for giving them a great start in life, they will miss you too! My two new rescue girls are so precious, Olivia is busy watching birds outside and chasing the laser light toy I got for them and Bette is always busy following me, wrestling with Sammie her Aussie sister or chasing Olivia around the house. Bette has a most unusual habit, she loves to nurse on my arm when she gets sleepy. It’s like tiny licks while she makes sounds like a baby with a pacifier, all the while I am trying to keep her from poking me with her nails as she kneads. She was farrell but you would never know it, she is so very sweet and has learned to stop biting her kitten bites when I say no bites.
I’m covered with dust as well, I have a painter coming tomorrow to paint the living room ceiling and master bath. My fur babies kick up a lot of dust and hair and living in the woods surrounded by sandy soil adds to all of what accumulates on furniture and floors.
I emailed you information about my beautiful golden retriever Elliott but I don’t think I had the correct address. Elliott will be 14 and has dementia. I have him on galliprant for his arthritic hips and knees and CBD oil for the dementia. It has been a miracle, he sometimes trots along like a puppy when we go on our farm walks and sometimes even gets in with a wrestle with one of his brothers. He still barks randomly, especially in the evening when the sundowners sets in but he doesn’t fall like he did or hold his head crooked like before. I know he is approaching end life but this regiment is giving him fun and comfort and allows me more time to give him hugs and lots of love!
Blessings Mary for all you do for all of us. Linda
Linda,
I use CBD Gummies myself…for arthritis.
I’ve been trying to get my Christmas “gift” lap quilts quilted and bound, making good progress but a few more to do, haven’t started decorating yet. Actually ahead of schedule, but need to do your type of cleaning too!
We’re starting the Christmas decorating. My back is flared up so it’s slow going with lots of breaks.
I love the floral quilt with the doggy sitting on it. Lots of nice Christmas quilt patterns. So tempting. I’m working on the binding on my new grandson’s quilt. I’ll show it after it’s finished. I also have his two stockings to finish (one for Iowa and one for Texas).
There’s been cat drama around here. Klaus was attacked by a hawk (vets opinion) and Magnus has asthma and needs an inhaler. He’s actually good about letting me give him his treatment.
I know you’ll miss the kittens. Will Hazel miss them too?
Is that Red Wing pottery on the shelf? I have mine arranged the same way. I’m finishing up some baking and a quilt for my son.
Susan in Tx….My back has flared up also. It started on Thanksgiving Day and I still have it. Darn. LIke all of us, I have so much to do. My head fairly swims with all the chores and the sewing I was planning to do.
Mary, your white pitchers are wonderful. I have a small collection of pitchers but not many white ones. I have a prized blue Delph cow pitcher. Very old handed down from my grandmother. That one started my creamer size collection.
The reader’s quilts are so fun to see. They always are.
I am making my new grand daughter a Christmas stocking!
Hello Mary, crazy busy here! Cleaning to decorate for Christmas. As you know when you start cleaning it turns into more of a chore than I had planned. One thing leads to another! Whew! And what about that game on Saturday! GO BLUE 💙
Happy Monday everyone!
Mary,
Enjoyed the pictures! Was 33o up here this morning. Think weather will bring storm this afternoon! We really need more snow!
Am working on Temecula’s Mini Monday Sew Along 4 November blocks.
Finished Christmas cards yesterday!
Just two cloth pumpkins and a pumpkin 🎃 towel to put away. Leftover turkey n ham are in freezer!
We need to select a tree to cut soon.
I have enjoyed your kitten pictures. Hopefully there will be more fostering stories to follow in the future as you give more babies a great start in life. I’m sewing the HST for Bonnie Hunter’s yearly mystery quilt part one. My hand stitching time is the binding for the third (and last) quilt that will be a Christmas gift.
charging my solar lights…. several neighbors have been over to look at the item…… hehe
Hi Mary, busy downsizing fabric, getting ready for my move into a tiny house mid December, thank goodness l have a huge shed to store stuff in! But loads of fabric going to new homes! Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
Mary, so festive. Love Red and white together this time of year and your collection of white pitchers.
I am busy packing motorhome for winter stay near daughter and granddaughter in AZ. Can’t wait to see them. Covid kept us from traveling last year. We head out tomorrow.
Merry Christmas.
Lots of fun patterns in the Christmas theme! But do I have time for another project?! The reader projects are great too. I love your pitcher collection. I collect ironstone and have a few pitchers, hope to find more. Your display area for them is really fun! I’ve been working on your quilt pattern “Best of All” from Beyond the Battlefield. It’s coming along nicely! I’ll send a picture if and when I finish it. Have started putting away Thanksgiving and pulling out Christmas decor. We just had the last of the soup we made from the turkey – I love turkey soup!! It’s been quiet here – we lost our little dog Louie a few weeks ago, we miss him so. It’s amazing how quiet the house seems. We’re not sure that we want another dog, not sure we could go through all that again but maybe a kitty. Or maybe fostering. We will wait for a while before making any decisions. Jan in MA
Jan H – I’m so sorry to hear you lost your Louie! How old was he? Fostering might be a good answer – companionship of an animal without the lifelong commitment- all rescues are desperate for foster homes!
Hi Mary, I’m just reading this. Thank you for your kind words. Louie was almost 14. He was the cutest little guy. We miss him a lot. I am going to look into fostering I just can’t imagine getting attached to them and having to give them up! We are going to start boarding dogs for my daughter. She owns a dog walking business and offers boarding as one of their services. First one will be over the Christmas holiday! We are watching Kyra, a really sweet yellow lab that we’ve met in the past. So we’ll go from there. Thanks again… Jan
I really like all the Christmas patterns!
When I saw your Cardinals in the Thicket, it took me back about a lifetime ago when I was teaching. We had a school that had been built in the 1800’s, and we were given a small amount of money to buy a new couch and “redecorate “ the staff lounge. I was paid to make 3 quilts for the wall above the couch, one for each of the three seasons. This one was perfect for the winter. If memory serves me, I think I got $100 for the set…all materials and time! I loved that quilt…
Brenda – oh, what a sweet memory!
I love the quilt show of your patterns and the reader quilts! Barb in Tucson, I made the same quilt a while ago, but two of mine are chocolate:) Mary and all readers with cats, we need HELP. We have Squeak, a 10 year old, 8 pound Tuxedo who has been with us since 4 weeks old, and now Buddy, the stray who came to our house and is a 16 lb. Maine Coon cat. Since August, we have been introducing them to each other slowly–Squeak in the finished basement with a screen door between them This week we decided she’d like it better upstairs with us and Buddy so we got out the brooms–just in case–and let them sniff at a distance.
Squeak has continued to hiss, screech, and growl (yes, like at dog) at Buddy who is very gentle, not a biter, or scratcher and sweet. Squeak has always been a bit wild, with biting and scratching, but likes us MOST of the time. Today, when I let her out of her secure room with the screen door in the doorway so they can see each other, Buddy attacked her. It was wild! When I got the broom between them and Squeak back in her room, she did not have any cuts or scratches or even saliva on her anywhere. What is our next step? We are unsure what, if anything, to do. We have tried most of the techniques in cat manuals and the Vet’s suggestions. They may just have to stay apart forever? Thanks for any input. Sorry this is so long, we are distressed because we love them both.
Diane – my first thought is that Squeak was there first and deserves to be with YOU if that’s where she is most comfortable. I’ve had issues like this before but eventually they sort it out – I’d reverse their living quarters – Buddy will get used to all the Squeak smells then. When I had a problem with Hazel and Rox, I knew that Rox was here first but she didn’t really enjoy our lifestyle which was active and outside. She wanted to be a couch potato so when my friend Gayle recommended her friend meet Rox, it was just the best outcome! Hazel is active with us and Rox loves her home – I visit her now and then. I had taken Rox in when a relative moved and I never dreamed she and Hazel would fight “to the death”. Poor Squeak! Try reversing their location and let me know.
Thanks, Mary. We will give that a try. Squeak seems to like where she is and we go in often to pet her. We’ll see what happens!!
Hi Diane! Yes, the cupcake runner was several years old. I made it for one of my daughter’s friends who have four kids under 10 and there’s always a birthday coming! I did not use all the fabric in the Connecting Threads kit, as I didn’t care for the tan they kitted for the frosting. I used white/white with swirls and that worked out well. Also added seed and bugle beads, plus a red button for the cherry. It goes in the mail today! Barb in Tucson
Hi Barb, I changed some of the fabrics, too. It is a fun kit. Glad you got it done:)
I bet it feels good to have that job done for another year, your pitchers are quite lovely displayed on the beam. We are done raking leaves here in TN (finally) and I planted pansy in a few pots and out front of our home. Our holiday packages are on their way and I need to make a batch of roll outs to share with our neighbors. I put up our ceramic Christmas tree, keeping it simple this year. Loved seeing all those lovely quilt patterns and the finished ones from readers.
I love the area where the white pitchers are! White and red together is my favorite. You have a Merry Christmas. Paula in KY
first, I love the white pitchers. I have a collection on pitchers which I absolutely adore until time to wash them. Mine are on top of cabinets which means I need a ladder. Oh well, something else to do. I have 4 English white ones among my array.
Second, I don’t know how you stand to let the little animals go after you raise them. I adopted both of my cats from shelters. One was from a “foster” situation and he is loving and just precious. The other came to the shelter with a large group of animals. She has come a long way since I got her in March but she is still aftaid and isn’t ever going to be a lap kitty. The couple that fostered my little Star really missed him and cried when I adopted him. I felt terrible but they assured me they would foster more after a few weeks on missing the little ones. Both cats are really beautiful…Bluebonnet is a Russian Blue mix and Star is totally black and super shiny. I am so glad they have decided to be friends and I hope and hope Blue will relax more. Bless you and people like you that foster. Personally, I could never do it…I would have a herd for sure and I live in the city!
Sharon Lowy – well, there’s your answer – “you’d have a herd”. I already have a herd!!!! 10 cats in the house and I’m cleaning today and I’m not happy with any of them!!! They have all been strays that just happened to appear so what could I do? I have two in the barn but I also have a dog door and they have all learned to use it – thus 10 cats in my house! I knew those 4 kitties needed to be socialized and learn to live with people. You don’t think I didn’t cry when I took them back? I did.