Bird Dance Blocks 1 - 30

All the blocks are now complete and sewn together. I have really enjoyed stitching the bird blocks and learning some new stitches. I am working on the borders and I can't wait to sew them on the top.

Christmas mistletoe 2011 and 2013

It all started with Mistletoe Magic, a pattern by Debbie Busby of Wooden Spools Designs. I completed the kissing ball stamp pillow in 2011 and but the finishing the wooly green mistletoe was bit more elusive. Debbie Busby's pattern instruction called for buttons on the hanging mistletoe. While I was at the 2011 Houston Quilt Show I saw small wool balls and decided I would use wool ball rather than buttons. It was not easy to find about 70 cream wool balls but I did it. When I got home, I began sewing on all the wool balls. Much to surprise Katie, my standard poodle, decided that these wool ball were quite tasty. Katie was stealing the wool balls from the bowl as I was trying to sew them on the mistletoe sprigs but I finally sewed all the wool balls on the wool mistletoe sprigs. I left the almost finished mistletoe ball in a project bag and left the house for an appointment. A few hours later, I came back home and I discovered a ripped and torn project bag in the back yard, mistletoe sprigs minus wool balls strewn around the yard. Lucky for Katie, I was able to buy more wool balls on line, then the bow was the only thing missing. I may be able to do a lot of things but making a wired floral bow is not something I can do. Last week, my friend Wanda Seal, came to my rescue. The bow she made is beautiful. So 2 years later, the pillow and the mistletoe ball are now complete.

Christmas tree

It is that time of year, time to unpack all the Christmas decoration. I put up my tree on the day after Thanksgiving and have been busy putting up over 400 ornaments. I have a 9 foot tree and really struggle to get all my ornaments hung. I began collecting and making Christmas ornaments in 1969. I have 33 years of Hallmark Frosty Friends ornaments, who would have guess that Hallmark would continue that series. There are needlepoint, crewel, counted cross stitch, felt, and wool appliqué, and bread dough/femo ornaments made by myself, Lucie, my mother and other crafters. I hang my ornaments and reflect on Christmases past and family no longer with me. Each ornament has some special meaning.

Christmas stocking are hung on the fireplace place, no easy task since I removed the mantle during the remodel.

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season.