Happy New Year!

I glanced over my calendar year, and blogged about it - but oh my...a post can get lost in the shuffle, especially if you use the same calendar for both your hobbies!
Rather than writing another "glance at the calendar", may I ask that you please consider clicking onto my other blog?

Oh! Yes! And please don't get stuck on reading the first post you come to, and forget to move on, so you can read how I summed up my 2010.

"A year at a glance" is just beyond "the give away" at my other site: http://maggidoodles.blogspot.com/


Who knows, you might even be tempted to click on the give away - participate - and win!

I would love to hear how your 2010 was summed up, but until then...finish strong and oh!
Have fun celebrating the beginning of a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Love, Debi

"flower sugar giveaway"

What an awesome title to catch  my eyes today on blogging!

photo of the give away - isn't it pretty?!

"FLOWER SUGAR GIVEAWAY"  
Just something so sweet could welcome the New Year in with so much color and inspiration!
The offer is for anyone, and the photo introducing the give away is awe inspiring! Click on here
http://retromummy.blogspot.com/2010/12/flower-sugar-giveaway.html
and follow the directions so you can participate, too.
Happy New Year and best wishes to the winner!

Remember when I won the basket?

Looking back over the year is best accomplished for me with a quiet afternoon to glance through the photo albums I created each month by clearing my camera onto my computer. As I click through the photos, I allow my heart to walk back through the memories and joys once again. It gives me a chance to reflect on all God's blessings for the past year and praise Him for his love. This afternoon, I began in my Sewing/Quilting album, and realized I never posted any photos on that lovely basket I won on the SAFARI SHOP HOP.

Who could resist time with these?

I'm so sorry. Life became so busy and full of my 3 grand daughters being in the states with us. Look...can you blame me?
 The photos were filed, but the script not written for my blog friends to enjoy the basket with me! I also remembered that I saved the photos to blog until my three traveling friends could enjoy the "spoils" with me in person.

So, with no more delay, here are a few snapshots of the wonderful basket. It was packed full with pattern books, a calendar (2008) of patterns, stencils, kits, charm packs, and fat quarters. There was even a pack of batting and several sewing/quilting notions.

Full basket

For my Redwork project

There is so much in this remarkable basket that as a novice quilter, my heart grew faint thinking of all the projects and work it will take to make everything offered in the prize!
My favorite bundle is this red/white fabric. I've already started a Redwork project of antique scenes on muslin, and will use these fabrics to make the border around all each block of embroidery. Another blog will show what I plan to do to join the blocks together with these fabrics, and what the final outcome plan will be for this bundle.

Flannel...pillowcases?

Wrapped in ribbon was my next favorite combination. This pile was an assortment of flannel. I absolutely love the color of burgundy, but when you add a couple of plaid fabrics and top it with a simple floral, my heart is hooked. I have no idea what this grouping will make yet, but I know that something very special will pull all these fat quarters together in a lovable project. Just touching the flannel gives a cuddly feeling.

I offered anything from this whole basket of goodies to my three favorite quilting friends. They "ahhh'd" over each item pulled from the basket and many comments were made as to what they thought they could make with this or that. The final agreement is that they would remember what I had in my quilting box and when it is needed, it would be theirs for the taking. I really want to share it all with them just as they shared their days of shop hoping with me.  Time will tell as our projects evolve which parts of this basket are used by one of us. I just know it will be fun to be together, working on a various of projects and have the availability of all this "stuff" at our fingertips!

We're waiting for the next one!

Seeing the photos of this basket, reminded me again of the good times we had on our road trip and the excitement we had on the SAFARI SHOP HOP.  As a new year comes across the horizon, here's one quilter hoping the shop owners decide to plan another "HOP" really soon!

Have a happy and wonderful new year with your hobbies!

My first project on my new Janome

I have to admit that using my new Janome has brought the joy of creating back to my sewing room. It is so easy to use, and absolutely exhilarating to try the new stitches at the push of a button. I miss my old friend, the New Home machine in the garage, but there's no comparison in the clunking noise of the old broken down machine and the quiet hum in my room now! Sewing in the new year is going to be such fun!

I just completed this beautiful table runner for someone very special to me. I cannot wait to see her eyes light up as she sees her favorite hues of blue dance past the tissue paper of her Christmas gift box!
Her favorite color is blue and it will enhance the other accent touches in both her living room and dining area. I am sure she'll add a crystal vase to the center, full of roses which are usually a gift from her loving husband.
The muted yellow and celery green enhance the beauty of this piece of fabric, and my favorite shade of red softly shadows the branches of green. For each end, I added some antique ivory lace with velvet ribbon, a piece of tweed fabric, which matches her LR furniture, and a soft blue velvet ribbon ensconced by blue crochet.
I cannot wait to see this grace her large formal dining table of dark cherry wood! She'll open our gifts on Christmas Eve, so maybe her dinner on Christmas Day will have a touch of newness on her table. We'll see.

I am also making 16 place mats to match the runner. Why so many? Because that is how many sit around her table at her family gatherings! And that is only counting the adults! Her six beautiful grand children prefer to squat around her coffee table for their conversational meal and quick release from the table. What a happy bunch they all make at our special family times!

The little things...

Quilt hanging for Dad's room

Oh! I am so sorry! This month, 8 technicians guessed which part of the cable made my TV, telephone, and internet shut down! It has been absolutely frustrating, but I think everything that could be replaced, has been!
Is this a good enough excuse why my blog has been so quiet?  
I even messed up on FNSI! Please forgive my neglect! A stored "cheat cloth" caught my attention while cleaning, so for FNSI, I finished this quilt hanging. The artist, Norman Rockwell, is my Dad's favorite artist, although my daughter's work runs a very close second for her Grandpa. I stitched around all the figures and the border. I really wanted to add sparkling satin ribbons to the gifts at the bottom (another year, maybe), but for now, it brightens a little apartment for a dear elderly man.

The "baby"!

An eastern flight took our family soon after Thanksgiving, leaving behind a definite silence and emptiness in our home. We were together for 5 months and feel so blessed for all the memories we made. We watched the infant grand daughter change daily and grow into a beautiful toddler. While the family packed suitcases, she even accomplished rolling over to reach some colorful toys. She giggles and has the brightest smiles. Now, I wait for the phone calls, carefully listening for the talking sounds which show her verbal skills keep developing, too. Her first word is definitely "ma-ma"!

visiting a sick neighbor with treats

The oldest two have experienced so many new adventures in America. I think their favorite spots are the local libraries! They are having a wonderful time with paternal family members and each phone conversation fills me in on their daily activities. Christmas is exciting for them this year! They cannot wait to see JOY in their friends' eyes when gifts they chose are opened, and they say they have bundles of hugs for all their cousins!
So, as we watch our tree lights twinkle, my Don and I are recalling this awesome year. We're thanking our God for His goodness and faithfulness to us, and for the blessing of family and friends. I also greet you during this special celebration of Christ's birth and wish you all a wonderful season with your families.

Check THIS out!

Just received this site from a girlfriend, with this message:

http://www.alzquilts.org/5579.html

Debra's friend (mine, too!), Judy Matlock donated her mini quilt to the Altzheimer's auction.  Her quilt is titled, "Musical Memories" and it's #5579.  The link above should take you right to it.  If not, begin at http://www.alzquilts.org/quiltauction.html and you'll find it that way too.

The quilt is beautiful!  Judy's husband, Gene, serves with Rick on the FaithBBC&S board.  Thought you'd be interested and inspired.  :)

I thought all my blogger friends and visitors would love to see this beautiful quilt...so pop over to this site and oooooh and aaaaah! 

Have a great quilting day!