We don’t have lots of snow but what we do have continues to blow around creating a ground blizzard – every day it seems.

I’m still sitting in my new chair, drinking coffee and watching the birds – I was lucky enough to get this cardinal picture.

I’ve got a great quilt show for you!






Mine is waiting to be quilted!




Don’t forget – I get many emails and if I miss posting yours, you need to tell me. This is a lot to keep track of and readers want to see all the quilts!


Back to this subject – look what I used – these I have been in my laundry cupboard for 20 years and they still worked!

Today is basketball, football, sewing, crock pot supper – sounds like a pretty nice day, doesn’t it?
yep ….. it sure does
Indeed, that was a great quilt show. Thanks to all.
I have used the color catchers for many years and for some reason, kept a bunch of them who’s colors are pretty. I made a small wall hanging from some.
I’m glad you canceled the trip to Mayo. Too darn scary for that long a trip.
Today’s ad was Joann’s sewing machines. I am going out to buy a new microwave. I live alone and mine has been acting up, of course I didn’t think it was old enough to be acting up, but apparently it was! The pond place is having a sale on lawn goodies, I’m going to look one last time, he’s closing, and then I’m off to buy a new micro. I looked online, a small one, is not much. But this one wasn’t either. Then it will be back home to set it up, finish cleaning and clearing things up. Counter needed cleaning anyway. Merry Christmas from Shell Rock!
Dee – how are your roads? Ours are awful
It DOES seem like a perfect day! I just finished frosting the sugar cookie cut outs, peanut butter kiss cookies, chocolate chip cookies and toffee bars, which for the most part will go to our son and his family here in town. Gifting was minimal and mostly handmade, no mail order or mall shopping. Don’t we all just have more than enough stuff? I know we do. Whether you appreciated George Carlin’s humor or not, his bit on ‘stuff’ was spot on. A classic! Enjoy your day, Mary🎄
Sounds like a perfect winter day!!!
Beautiful quilt show! Just got in from clearing the snow, we got about 12 inches of very heavy wet snow where we are in NH, north of us got so much more! More might come at the end of next week? Guess it will be a white Christmas after all! Love that picture with Three and the cardinal! Sounds like you will have the perfect day, enjoy it!
Beautiful quilts, enjoy your day inside!
Love the quilts, and so glad you managed to save the candy cane quilt!
Hi Mary, more wonderful quilts! My progress is slow, made new dresses for Luna and Stella for Christmas and pj pants for my husband when one of the pj sets l bought at Kmart had the pants missing! Rain predicted every day this week, hope we can have Christmas lunch on the deck! Santa is bringing a water slide for the girls, should be fun! Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
Sandra – oh, those lucky little girls!
Thanks for the quilt show, beautiful work! I have put things away to have more room for the holiday. Kids are coming and we are all excited. I do need to get my machine out for a flannel crib sheet for the pack n play.
Our roads a awful, ice and snow packed yet some drive like its the middle of the summer on a clear day!
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2023!
This is Saturday. The awful winds have let up for now, but a cold front hits tomorrow. About Wednesday it is predicted to be 15 BELOW. Drifting and visibility is terrible. Report said Deadwood/Lead and Terry Peak (ski slopes) got between 40-60″ of snow. It is higher there than Rapid City. Sturgis got at least 30.” We got 8″ but hard to tell as the snow is blown into hard drifts. I’ve only been out of the house to take out the garbage and some shoveling since Monday noon. The interstate has been closed since Tuesday afternoon so no mail coming or going. It’s winter in South Dakota. I think they said it was in Michigan now? Maybe it will miss Iowa.
The good news is Wednesday the days start getting longer. That will be nice.
Seems like I’ve been rather scattered brained and not getting a lot done. It’s been 2 weeks since I’ve been to the Fabric Store – withdrawal?? I am missing that and the ladies there for coffee, etc. Gotta get myself in gear and set up my collection of miniature Christmas trees on the coffee table. Then Christmas cards and letters. And sewing? A nap is nice, too. Might even make a Crock Pot of bean soup? Sounds good.
And tell us where you live. Like Sandy in New Zealand??
Take care everybody. This won’t last forever!!
Betty in Rapid City
OMG! OMG! What a great quilt show. Thanks for taking the time during this busy season! It’s was great.
What is the green, gold, brown triangle quilt pattern? Could use up some of my scraps. Maybe I missed the pattern somewhere? Thank you Pat Williams from Iowa City
Pat – pattern is called GoodMews by Country Threads – $5 and SASE
Pat – that would be GOOD NEWS, not Good Mews!!!!!!
I love crock pot dinners. I usually make now knead bread to go with it. Always room for crusty bread. I love ALL the quilts. Especially love the sunflower one . May you have a wonderful cozy Christmas to you and your family near and wide and your followers
Love the quilt show. Having trouble commenting so will keep it short to see if it goes through.
Beautiful quilt pictures!! I loved them all. Your day sounds great, especially sewing and the crockpot going. My favorite kind of cooking. I love your first picture out your window, with all the little birds. Hugs,
We had rain, then snow then more snow. The trees are bending over from the weight but, it looks like a Christmas card outside. Compared to Betty in South Dakota, our 10 inches sounds like nothing! Those color catchers sure did a great job. I got my sled pattern today and will start on it after the holidays. I’ll be ahead of the game for next year’s decorating.
The Quilt show was really good. I had a guy yell at me up at Casey’s that I should go back to school and learn how to park. I told him (nicely) that I just took the spot that was left and all the other vehicles are mostly gone now and made me look like I can’t park. Then he called me a something ,something old lady. I told him that’s funny your the one with the gray hair and I’m quite sure you are older than me. Anyway I hope he got over it because I did. All the shoveling I did yesterday is filled in again . Oh well
I like the placemats. I took a screenshot to use it sometime. Just a little snow here in mid north Indiana
I loved the picture of Three looking out at the cardinal. We had so many here last year, but I can’t figure out where they are this year as there haven’t been any. I live in central Florida at this time of the year. We are flying up to Vermont on Monday for Christmas, and from the pictures I’ve seen, it looks pretty much like Iowa with a little more snow. We usually drive up so our dog can go, but last year we nearly got caught in the debacle around Washington, DC. Thank goodness we turned on the TV in NJ and saw it and completely changed our route. This year we are flying, but everyone will miss our dog and his funny antics. I really enjoyed the quilt show today—so much talent out there among the other readers.
Hi, Patty! I hope you and Terry have a wonderful Christmas in Vermont. I sent your Christmas card to Florida but you can read it when you get back after Christmas. We are having winter here in northwest Iowa right now! It is very cold and we have several inches of snow on the ground. Merry Christmas to you and Terry!
Pat Smith – where will you leave Sonny?
Crock pot supper sounds great on this winter day!! What did you make? I love using mine in the winter!
I’m a color catcher kind of gal when I wash my quilts. Glad you had good luck!!
Jane – I do my roasts in the Crockpot adding the potatoes and carrots about 2 hours before I want to eat.
No snow in south central Iowa, just a few flurries, but it is cold and windy. I enjoy hearing Betty from Rapid reporting on the weather out there as our daughter lived in Spearfish for several years, and sometimes they got dumped on as they were up from the city of Spearfish. Now she’s in southeast ND, and they were snowed in for four days. She finally got out today, but their road was not plowed and it was very stressful getting to town. Their church has their children’s Christmas program tomorrow morning, and she needs to be there to play for it. Her husband is the pastor of the church. She’s staying in town tonight with her daughter so she can be sure to get to the church in the morning. Sounds like it’s going to be the coldest Christmas in many years. Our kids will not come for Christmas. We do it in July anymore. Works better for all of us. Sorry to ramble on. Merry Christmas everyone!
Anybody, other than emergency workers, who were just out driving around, etc. in Spearfish would be heavily fined. All stores were closed .
The Interstate was closed. Evidently people heeded the warning and the emergency people could do their jobs without having to fool with idiots getting stuck. Made the cleanup much easier. I had an eye doctor appointment on Friday AM and it was cancelled because the doctor lived in Spearfish. I was going to cancel it because I couldn’t get out of the alley but they called first. North Dakota really got it, too.
Betty in Rapid City
Thanks for all of the project pictures!! Love looking at the snow but not wishing for it here.
Less than an inch of snow here but when we caught the news it looked like those at the Bills game were having a ball in the snow while tailgating. I hope all get home safely tonight on the thruway. Gosh I feel for Betty with her weather report and if she sounds befuddled for a few days, we can blame on it on her being cooped up for quite some time, okay Betty? Ha ha! I think you like a good joke.
Wonderful quilt show from everyone and I so appreciate you Mary sharing these with all of us. Three is lucky to be safe inside out of the severe weather. That picture of the cardinal and her could be a postcard.
Whew. Lots of snow for some o you.We had some furries and a little squall but no sticking. Of ourse, I was walking when it was snowing and blowing🙀 It is cold here, too, and will be 18 on Christmas. Brrr. Great quilt show today and Mary’s crockpot dinner sounds good. Everyone will be here tomorrow. Then some will be back o Christmas. Merry Christmas to all.
Beautiful outdoor pictures. It’s great to see all the projects too. Inspiring! Thank you for sharing.
A perfect sewing day. ! Football here, too, and more tomorrow; plus the World Cup! Who Dey Bengals! Great quilt show, too. Thank you!
Love to use my crockpot in winter for soup!
Quilt show is wonderful. Merry Christmas to all!
Snowed in with a crock pot supper. Sounds perfect.
Love all the quilts!!! Beautiful! I’m not one for snow, but I do love seeing the photos — looks beautiful
We just have WIND and snow flurries. A good day to sew. Pretty quilts!
Nice job on all the quilts and other sewing projects everyone. And the kitty looking outside at the birds and snow is priceless.
Definitely a great quilt show today. I got my sled pattern today and hopefully can start it in January.
I once read – when you see a cardinal someone one from heaven has come to visit you. I think that goes for not only people but for a animals we have lost.
Yesterday was the last sewing day of the year for my FeatherWeight group, so we had a pot-luck. It was just a wonderful day! There were only 5-7 of us, but the food was great! Everyone works on their own project, and we help each other out when there are questions or problems,
It snowed hard all day, and this morning we have about 12-15″ on the ground. It looks like Fairy Land!
Enjoyed the quilt show, and especially like the fabric with the houses and sayings about home.
Merry Christmas everyone, stay safe, and be calm.
Thank you Linda as I made the wallhanging and now that it’s done, I am at a loss how it is best to quilt. Should I hand quilt around the pieced houses or should I take it to my long armer for an all over design? It’s 42” wide made to fit my wall hanger so I don’t feel it’s worth custom quilting as I struggled with the directions and did some of my own changes. This is my trouble, I could pet fabric, cut it out and piece all day long but then I can’t vision beyond that on how to see it quilted. I have looked back af the antique quilt Mary has posted here with the Baptist fan quilting and say to myself that I why I like scrap quilts so much as quilting shows up nice on them unless you chose custom.
Sounds like a wonderful day! Enjoy! Quilt show was fun. I use the color catchers also and they are great.
Beautiful quilt show again today. I always love seeing what everyone is working on.
I’m sending you a finish Mary. And hope to have another before the end of the year. I’m currently quilting a binding star quilt. I started free motion quilting the background and it’s much denser that I had planned. It’s taking forever. I probably have 10-15 hours on just that part. I don’t have a long arm so it’s on my domestic machine.
The weather here in the Dallas area is getting colder. As the week goes on the temps are supposed to drop. The fall color of leaves was great this year – so much prettier than normal. Now all the leaves are falling so cleanup is happening all over town.
I went out yesterday to get the micro, and the roads were awful. And guess what? This one has already handed me the same problem the other one did. Obviously not the microwave but who am I? The sun is shining now, I suppose the roads are better but I don’t think I’m going out.