Christmas children 2

Jacob and John Michael at Jeff and PJ's Christmas dinner....

This was my favorite of Betsy and Kyle's Christmas pictures...

We got snow!  You got snow? 

Christmas children.....

December 2012, Aiden
Jackie's grandson in his Christmas sweater vest.....

Hello Kitty and Merry Christmas

I was having my coffee when I hear a soft knock on my door.  She's my little neighbor girl  who comes over to play with John Michael.  How could any Christmas morning be sweeter than this!

Please hold and keep us, dear Father above,
please send us flowers and children to love...
peace in our homeland, work to provide...
friends to hold onto, and faith to abide.

Merry Christmas to all, you are so dear to me!

Christmas Music for my friends...

My angels take on Christmas......

A little scarey, but not too much.....

A little worried, but not too much

I think all we need is a good hair stylist and we will be ready!


I see I got a complaint about not posting .  I am intimidated by all the beautiful posts lately, and if you made angels that look like these, would you post them?  Their hair and eyes are not in keeping with their dresses and they look a little wild.  But they are what they are.

I am behind in other things too.  I was puzzled by all this Elf on the Shelf stuff.  My friends tell me the story will be on TV tonight at 9:30 so maybe I can get up to snuff  on the Elf!

I hope you all are enjoying the season.  It is so mild here that I have been able to work in the yard a little.  I'm going to John Michael's Christmas morning and I am enjoying the pictures of Betsy and Kyle and their Christmas in Kentucky.  Happy Friday everyone.

Craft shows aka church bazaars or vice versa

I've had a tin of sequins ( for about 20 years),one of those unfinished projects, but the little tin was really pretty so it just sat around waiting.

Last night I had a wild hair and picked up the needle and finished a couple of these.  I was thinking that the day I bought one of these was probably the very first craft show I ever heard of and then it was called a church bazaar.  It was at the Grace Episcopal Church in Paducah Kentucky and of course they had delicious lunch in addition to their handmade items.  I may have paid a dollar or two for one of these.

It only took me about two hours, thread was snarling and sequins were littering the carpet but if you want to punish yourself you should try one.  It's tedious I warn ya!  Get two circles of felt,cut a hole in the center of one and sew on the sequins, just layer them on.  Then sew on the red beads and a little red bow.  Back it with the other circle of felt and stitch around the outside and inside.  Then I cut out the hole in the second circle and sewed on a safety pin.  You will need a very skinny needle.

Have you ever wondered how craft shows began and when?  Tried to find out online but didn't come up with anything.  I did run across this and thought you might enjoy.

More Reasons To Purchase Fabric

10. The quilt shop gets angry when you steal it.

9. It will go with something I bought last year.

8. Well-known fact: prevents washing machine withdrawal symptoms on light laundry days.

7. Keeps the people who make cardboard inserts in bolts of fabric employed, thus supporting the national economy in yet one more way.

6. Assists the little birdies with their nests when scraps, threads, and little whispies are allowed to blow in the wind.

5. Without fabric I would have nothing to do with my rotary cutter, my mat, my sewing machine, my iron, my thread, my needles, my quilting books. And my time.

4. Step 32 of Master Plan to drive husband crazy.

3. It does not promote tooth decay.

2. It's not immoral, illegal, or fattening.

1. Surgeon General says: "10 yards a day keeps the blues away.

Happy Friday, last day of November 2012.

Comet's Tale

This is a book that picked me at the Melvindale Public Library.  I loved learning about the lives of greyhounds and this special one that changed the life of  her owner.

It was out-of-the-question that this critically disabled man could adopt a greyhound.  If you read the story, it might be out-of-the-question for you too, but that didn't stop me from really wanting a Comet of my own.

Happy Wednesday, read a book today.

A quilt story....

DVIDS - News - A quilt to span the years of war

Sock Monkey Monday...

These are for Patti, one of my best craft show customers.   They are saying "when do we get to go to Patti's cute house."

Now.....if you want to make your own sock monkey, there is a little pattern in with one of the Sweet Meadows Farm's Annie pattern.  You can buy little ones at Bed, Bath and Beyond and also at the Cracker Barrel sometimes, but the ones you made yourself would be special.  And they could have a candy cane! and a long tail!  and a tuft of hair!  Happy Monday everyone.

Deer Season

I've had two reminders that it is opening day of deer season; first I phoned my son who answered in a whisper.  I said I just wanted to chat.  He said "I'm in a  deer blind".  Oh my, did I hang up quickly.

Then Lisa at Moonlit Stitch has a nice post with some neat pictures and some funny but true observations about hunters.

The picture above is Charlie and his Dad's big deer from bow season this year.  I love his expression, like, I can't believe how big this deer is.

Lisa at Moonlit Stitch says it is a traditional National Holiday.  I'm not going  except John Michael and I may hunt some pretty leaves and some dandelions.  The deer will have no need to fear us.
Happy Thursday everyone.

You will like these......

These are so sweet I thought I would pass this along.  Happy Wednesday.
I'm cooking today for Blessed Hope.  Love!

The craft show...

This old card table belonged to my MIL Fannie Hudson.  If it could talk it would know all the gossip there was to know in Mountain View, Missouri in the 1930s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. with countless games of solitaire, cups of coffee and her cigarettes.  If you came to see her, she would go on playing, saying "come on in but keep those babies quiet, my soaps are on".

Since the table came to my house after Fannie died, it has had a different life.  It gets to be squeezed in when  there is an extra two feet of space to be used in the craft show booth.  And...gets to wear red and hold all manner of  interesting creations.  This year  it was in charge of candy-canes which went really well and the snowmen too, except they really got bested by the elves.

It was good to see people that are regular and faithful customers and I only see once a year.  A few were missing and I hope everything is well and  just couldn't make it this year.  I had wonderful help...Rebecca, Granddaughter, and PJ, daughter, and we sold PJ's  pin and badge flowers too!  PJ is a reluctant crafter but she is coming around.  I am working on being her craft coach as well as her life coach.

After all, the table still has a lot of years left in it, it should never be put out to pasture.  Happy Sunday everyone!

Truly Blessed......

The top picture is of Thomas who desperately needed a kidney.  Thomas is my friend Jackie's nephew. 

Next picture is Melissa, a family friend who donated her kidney so that he might get well.
I would call that a very brave and true friend.

Aren't they both beautiful with their plush kidney creatures and keeping warm and cozy under Grandmother Stella's handmade afghans! The surgery was on Wednesday.  Our hearts are warm too  to hear such a story and we want them to get well soon.

'scuze me while I find a tissue!

Elves

Ernie#1 and Ernie #2 and  there are  two more #3 and #4, all Ernies.  The pattern is by Olde Country Cupboard.  I'm almost finished showing my craft show stuff (Saturday).  I hope it hasn't been annoying like some of the political commercials.  Peace to all.

First Sunday in November 2012

A basket of turkeys for the craft show.....

My mother's day flower from Kynda is still beautiful .  My little neighbor boy wants to push it around.

The pumpkins are dwindling.  I am giving them away a few at a time.  Small garden, small pumpkins.

Happy Sunday to everyone, a lot of important things will be happening in November, most of all being thankful for everything.

The Snowmen

When my nice neighbors moved away, they gave me this plant stand.  The snowmen are made from the BIG pattern by Sweetmeadows farm. They have a round head.

Last night we went to see Oliver at Southgate Community Players.  Jeff was a wonderful Fagin and I got to shake hands with an amazing little third-grader who played Oliver!  We loved it!  Went with my two granddaughters, Rachel and Rebecca.  And I will be going to see it again next week.

The sun is shining here, but still I am thinking of those people who are cleaning up after the storm and those who have lost someone. I hope you are well.

Reading

Hazel Grace, age 17, and Augustus, same age, meet at a cancer support group.  They fall in love, each have terminal cancer.  Sounds really sad, but somehow it was so good, you don't remember it as being sad.  It's a Young Adult book, my librarian Teresa picked out for me because she likes John Green books.  I'm not saying you should read it, I just wanted to remember it here.

I have the rest of my craft show stuff to post for 2012 but somehow it seems frivolous compared to what's going on in our country.  So....maybe a little later.  They were talking about getting back to normal this morning and I thought of something I read this week....by a Halloween lady, Morticia Addams...Normal is an illusion...what is normal for the spider is chaos for the fly. That probably doesn't apply in this case, but we pray for Normal on this closing day of October 2012.


Happy Halloween everyone, from me and John Michael and The Spooky Olde Tree.

More Annies...

This Annie has a bear made from a pattern by THE MOONLIT STITCH, one of my blogging friends and it was a freebie!  Go to her site, she has many nice primitive handmades.  Mine isn't prim like hers, so I will try again.  He is easy too!

This one made by Sweet Meadows pattern and the sock monkey is not as hard as it looks....only Rebecca said he has a BIG nose......

I think that is all the Annies for now and I thank you all for your visits and comments.  I have a few Christmas things to finish up and that's it.  Have a safe and happy Saturday.

Dolls and a Plant

Another doll made from Olde Country Cupboard pattern.  This one is called Candy Cane Annie but mine has a tree......

I think this pattern had a chicken with it.  Olde Country Cupboard has some nice doll patterns.

PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE WOMAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN!

Just wanted to show you all how my Love Lies Bleeding plant grew.  It is pretty ratty now so it's on its way out.  I am wondering if it will seed itself.  Anyone know?  If it does, I am probably in trouble.

Happy Friday everyone.  Keeping all you in mind that are in the area of what they are calling the Frankenstorm.

Designs by Olde Country Cupboard...

I liked this fabric that has letters and numbers.  I made the little flowers to go with the girls, if you are thinking they are not as nice as PJ's.  (They aren't!)

My dolls are a little different, but you get the idea. I say that a lot.

This is a twin but I like the pokie-dot fabric so much.  From Sew-What in Wyandotte.

I hope everyone is enjoying the nice weather that we have. The trees are golden and soon our yards will be.  Love from Michigan.

The Storybook Quilt

This is the Storybook quilt at the show.  Each quilter took a page from the story book and designed a part of the quilt. 

These ladies told us about the storybook quilt and about their own quilt show October 27.  If you are in my area, it will be at Hartford Memorial Baptist Church, 18700 James Couzens Hwy. Detroit.  Contact numbers are Ms. Gwen Carmichael 313-836-7994 and Ms. Frankie Moore 313-863-8003. Pastor Rev. Dr. Charles G. Adams.

Another display we liked were the beaded and quilted wall hangings.  Since we are really in to flowers these days I chose the pink one as my favorite beaded.  If you are a quilter, check Facebook under Festival of Quilts for so many more pictures.







As for us here at the plot I am planning  for  Blessed Hope tomorrow.  Borrowed PJ's Nesco for it. Kynda and all the family are going home after the service . I have never seen the military honors but I know it was very special for them.

All is well, so have a happy Tuesday everyone.

Second Day at Festival of Quilts

The pews in both sanctuaries are filled with quilts, the library displays many quilt groups of the area, the piano is filled with Linus project quilts.  So many to look at. If we knew how many stitches are together in this room, what would you guess????  And wouldn't it be fun to know something about each person who made one of these beautiful quilts!

Happy Sunday friends!  Tomorrow I will tell you about the Hartford Memorial Baptist Church quilt show on October 27 presented by the Wednesday Night Quilting Sisters group.

The Quilt Show, Dearborn First United Methodist Church

Today was the first day of the quilt show at Dearborn United Methodist Church.  These are pictures of the craft show and the food.  (of course).  Tomorrow I promise the main attractions....the quilts.

Charlie (my grandson) came and helped out, made some sales for me!!!  But this was his favorite thing ...the tin man by John.

Everyone loved PJ's flowers!

It is good to meet new crafters and see what they have made.  I took one of these plates home.

This is Barb's work...Iris folding, Isn't it beautiful!

This is the tea room where we had lunch, which was delicious.  Around the room are dolls made from bowling pins.

Just had to make you hungry!

I have to say that the church did a wonderful job of working around a big re-construction project going on at the building.  And as always everyone is so nice and appreciative.  It is a pleasure to be a part of the show.  Tomorrow the quilts....

Happy Friday night everyone.

Together at the Cozy Dog, a happy day to remember

It was only a short time ago that we visited with V and Warren and Mark and Kynda, Judson, Rachel, Betsy and Kyle in Springfield.  We went to lunch and  ate corn dogs at The Cozy Dog and sat on the porch that weekend at V and Warrens house.  It was a sweet time for all of us and Warren loved going to the Cozy Dog.

We are sad that Warren has died this week, he has been very sick for the past two months.  I am grateful  for his life.... for Mark....and for all the  visits we had with him.  I am sending an extra big portion of love for V and Mark and Kynda today.

We took a picture of the poster on our way home.  I didn't remember   that Springfield and The Cozy Dog  was the birthplace of the corn dog, but I will remember our time there in September 2012.

And love to all my blogger friends today.