just desserts . . .

Aaaaah!!  Can you believe it?  Here it is, December 13, and there are TWELVE days until Christmas!  And I'm blogging (speaking of Christmas miracles)!  That can only mean on thing . . . it's my day for the Advent Blog Hop, hosted by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching!

One of my biggest projects and happiest finishes this year, was a UFO that I started in 2008 (I first blogged about it here).  Yes, you read that right ... 14 years ago.  It was a BOM by a local quilt shop. I finished all the blocks, but the setting was a feathered star, and it was overwhelming.  So it got wrapped up in a bag and set aside.  Until this year; I decided I wanted a Christmas quilt this year!  So I used our Stitcher's Group UFO Challenge project to get 'er done!  I'm pleased to say, I finished it!

The feathered stars look like snowflakes ... very appropriate for a winter Christmas quilt!

And also . . . I love this quilt!  It's so pretty!

Each year, Jo asks us to respond to a Christmas-related question.  Sometimes it's about ornaments, last year it was about our trees, and this year it's "What's for afters?" which was a new-to-me term! Of course, I quickly realized she was talking about DESSERTS!  What you eat *after* the meal!  That's a no brainer for me.  Here's our dessert for the last three years . . . 

2019

2020

2021

A traditional Buche de Noel!  It's such an easy make, but always looks so pretty!  It's like a huge Swiss cake roll.  LOL! The recipe I have consistently used is from Mon Petit Four, except I leave out the coffee granuales (from the batter and the frosting) and the kaluha. The girls love it too ... but just in case, there always a large assortment of Christmas cookies, too . . . 

Yummy!

So there you have it!  Make sure you "hop" over to Jo's blog and check out all the offerings from days 1-12 ... lots of lucsious-looking 'afters' to be found!  And continue visiting as we countdown to Christmas!  :)

Merry Christmas!!  

ps ... I'm thinking my word for 2023 should be "write" or "blog".  

;)

multiples . . .

This past weekend was a loooooong, lovely weekend!  I had a retreat with my Stitcher's Etc. group at Hinkle Hill Retreat House in Bell Buckle, TN scheduled for Thursday through Sunday.  But since I knew I'd miss my boat day with Todd on Friday, I took an extra day (Wednesday), which we spent on the lake . . .

It was really a gorgeous day.  Blue skies and popcorn clouds!  We didn't get into any rain (you never know when a little storm cloud is going to pop up, because of the high heat and humidity), but we did see rain coming down on the lake less than a mile away . . .

We could even see that the water was white-capping!  It got close to use, but it fizzled out before we got any of it.  The clouds always make for glorious sunsets.

Sigh.  I could look at sunsets all the day long.  So pretty!

Thursday morning I loaded up and headed out pretty early.  My table mate *and* my bunk mate was one of my BFFs.  We came prepared to be silly!

I had my area set up like I like it . . .

We had a good group of ladies ... twelve in all.  This isn't the greatest photo, but it gives you an idea of our sewing room.

I also came prepared to be productive.  I got a LOT (for me) finished over the four days. I kitted four wool applique kits (one is not pictured) . . . 

 

I finished up my Christmas Quilt by getting the borders on it . . .

This is my August UFO Challenge project, so I'm glad it's done!  Originally I'd just planned to add borders to the long sides, because the quilt is so much longer than it is wide, but after stitching on the three borders on both sides, I decided it needed something across the top and bottom, so I used the focal print to go across.  I like the final look!

I also stitched together and trimmed over a hundred, 1-1/2" half square triangles; pieces that I'd trimmed from the Christmas Quilt when I pieced the feathered stars.  

I'm not quite sure how I'll put them together, but I'm thinking it would make a pretty pillow sham.

I free-hand put together this little pumpkin wall hanging, from start to finish, Saturday morning. 

It was fun! The pumpkins came from this Benartex panel . . .

It's got a glint of metalic, which is my happy place. I meant to use the leaves across the back of the piece, but I forgot. In fact, I just *now* remembered that was my original intent.  That's what happens when you make things on the fly!

Saturday afternoon we all did this cute little zippered pouch:

Darling, right?  And super simple to make.  I love to do a group make 'n take!  Then Saturday evening I made (or at least got a good head start on) another set of Jack-o-lantern placemats.  I gifted a set to the local grands last fall.  This set will go to the California crew.

I still need to applique the faces and quilt them, but the hard part is done!

I got some hand-stitching in, too, which was nice. We wrapped up late Sunday morning after a terrific brunch, but before gals started to leave, we made sure to get in a group photo . . .

See?  A good group!  I've already got next year's dates on my calendar!

:)

stitching friends summer blog hop . . .

Welcome!  I'm happily participating with the Stitching Friends Summer Blog Hop, put on by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching! Jo does several blog hops through the year, and I really enjoy participating.  The theme of this summer hop is . . .

That's right!  Stitching Friends Are Friends Who COUNT!  Love it!

My stitching friend is a very prolific stitcher.  And eclectic!  But it was the title of her blog that first caught my eye . . . it makes me smile *every* time I see it!

She does a lot (a LOT) of amazing cross stitch work . . . 

She also does some lovely, fun work with yarn!

And beading . . .

Just very accomplished!  To be honest, I wasn't sure what of my finishes would appeal to her . . . I don't do near the cross stitch she does!  I thought perhaps this blackwork piece (that I never finished):

Or maybe this embroidered pumpkin?!  I do know she likes to stitch for the holidays!

Have you figured it out yet?  It might have been easier if I'd shared some of her later finishes/projects . . . but I didn't want to make it too easy!  If you're still having a hard time figuring it out, check her out HERE!

And be sure to hop over to Jo's blog and check out all of the hop participants!!

:)

sweet, sweet, sweet . . .

Lots of lovely little tidbits from the past week.  First up, my daughter-in-love, has created a *sweet* home business called "Madelyn Mae's Bake Shop".  She makes the loveliest, tastiest cookies! How do I know they're tasty, you may ask?  Because she sent me some!

Tea cups, tea pots, and quilt squares! And in purples, no less!  It was a fun snail mail package to receive! She's so talented!

And I know autumn is on its way, because I've started to feel the pull of all things pumpkin . . .

Picked up this sweet Benartex metallic pumpkin panel.  I have some thoughts; we'll see where (and when—haha) it goes.

But I'm not totally living in the future.  I found the cutest little sunflower cross stitch on Pinker n Punkin, Summer Ewe.  So I wasted exactly zero time and got busy.  Here's what I ended up with:

Isn't that fun? I finished my off with a little wool and a grosgrain ribbon.

She looks right at home with the rest of my sunflower decor! By the way, that series of patterns (Betsy Ewe, Erin Ewe, Haze Ewe, Priscilla Ewe and Summer Ewe) are all sweet freebies on Melisa's blog.  Very cute!

Todd found a not-so-cute black snack curled up at the bottom of his ladder.

Todd went to pick it up to use, and did a double take. Who thinks the base of a ladder is a good place to take a nap?!  LOL! 

As our guild year wraps up this month, the incoming president has been soliciting folks to fill positions. I can't believe I did this, but . . . I signed on to chair our 2022-23 HQH Challenge.  <gasp>  I've already put together a fabulous team, and theme.  All the ideas!  It'll be fun (I'll keep telling myself that)! I'll share more on that when I'm able!

And I leave on this very happy little note . . .

I adore it when the local crew comes to visit me at work!  Sweetness!

:)

in with the new . . .

Do you know what happens when you make up your mind to back-post before you current post again?

Nothing.  LOL!

And the longer I put it off, the more daunting the task became.  So, here's what happened this past weekend:

I switched out my patriotic decor that went up in time for Memorial Day (and stays up through Bastille Day—July 14) . . .

For summery, sun-shiney sunflowers!

I love changing out my accent pieces for the seasons.  More and more, it's become mostly pieces I've made or been gifted.  I love that!!  Once I got everything out, I decided I needed a sunflower mug rug to finish it off, so I whipped up one in wool.

Makes me happy.

Makes my tea mug happy, too.

It was an easy stitch.  And my own pattern, to boot!  If you'd like to make your own happy sunflower mug rug, shoot me an email and I'll send you the templates and simple instructions.  Linking up with Kathy's Quilts Sunday slow stitching post.

:)