Another One Finished! Yahoooooooooooooooooo!

Here it is, Schnibbles Picnic, that was no picnic for me.

NO KIDDING!!!! These Scnibbles quilts are like a thorn in my flesh!

They are cute, they are snappy, they are hard for me!

BUT I'M LEARNING!!! AND IMPROVING!!!

After receiving my pattern for the month of November, I was determined that this one was going to be my best! Surely, I thought, if I just take my time, cut with precision, and sew carefully, then I will have the best little Picnic quilt ever.

sigh 

Seven attempts could not produce one single good block. 7!!!! While that is a perfect number in Biblical things, it is definitely not in my sewing room!

So, I jotted a frustrating email to the gal in charge, over at PinkPincushion, letting her know that for my sewing sanity (I was feeling like a quilting imposter) I was going to quit sewing on November's quilt and wait for December's, when I could begin all my positive thinking with fresh gusto.

The encourager that she is, she zipped me a quick response:

"Nono... don't give up!"

sigh   Because of her encouraging words (she also very kindly offered me some hints and tips) I threw those blocks in the trash, picked them out (after all, they did take lots of my time) and put them away for who knows what, and, practically cussing all the way, began sewing with completely different stash fabric. I kept thinking of her sweet email and just couldn't give up! (THANK YOU, SINTA!)

So... December's will be the best! LOL

Oh! Look how cute this old fabric I had worked for the sashings and border!!!

Christmas is on it's way!

One Sweet Pumpkin!

 

In yesterday's blog, I mentioned my table decorating ideas. Well, one of my bloggerinas read it...and guess what she did??? She emailed me that she actually lived in my hometown and had a bounty of mini pumpkins to give me -  

!!!FROM HER OWN GARDEN!!!

Not only is that impressive, but her generosity as well!  

I keep saying that bloggers are the best, and this is just one more solid pumpkin proof!


Now... what you don't know is that Farm Girl is standing in the background holding the wooden pallet of mini pumpkins, in the above picture. She had been cleaning house and did not want to be in the picture, but the black background is actually her black shirt. Worked out as a perfect backdrop, don't ya think?!


After leaving her beautiful huge home, I came home and got busy decorating my Thanksgiving tables (never got around to it yesterday), before Superman flew us to the golf course (he was unusually late...which worked out great for me).  What do you think?

See what a generous spirit and a lot or orange pumpkins can do to a table??? 

 Happy Thanksgiving, Bloggerinas!!!

Light It Up!

Merry ol' Martha is at it again! Not only does she come up with brilliant ideas - but she shares them with all the world! Homes are aglow with her creativity; I love it!

Right after Thanksgiving, I am thinking of trying my hand at these candles. These are delightfully simple to make (though they don't look it), and all that is needed is a bit of glue and glitter -- We'll get to pretend we are kids, but have something very grown up to show off!

If you want to make these, too, go here. 

My day is turning out scrumptious! Shannon didn't get to make it down for our fun day (wah!), so that left me with plenty of unexpected 'free' time. My plan is to find some cozy Thanksgiving table decoration ideas... and then... set up my tables for Thursday's crowd. 

Hmmmm.... Either of these look pretty easy. And whatta way to uses God's bounty! Maybe, I could carve out bright red apples and place votives in them?

I am really looking forward to all the baking, cooking, preparing, and golfing with Superman (since he's taken the week off, beginning tomorrow). Hooray!

What is your favorite Thanksgiving tradition? Mine is laughing with all the fam and friends who have it as their tradition to come to our home and feast with us. Sooo much fun!

Happy pre-pre-pre Thanksgiving!

Pillow Talk

Easy & Fast Christmas Pillow -- Great for Gifts! 

 Even before the economy went barreling over Niagra, I have always given at least one homemade Christmas gift. I just have to get my creative cravings slaked somehow, and making a Christmas gift, here or there, was the perfect solution! Don't you agree?

This pillow was made last year for my girlfriend, Susan. She let me borrow it for the picture! Thanks, Susan!!! It was fun to see it sitting up on her mantle all December. 

Anyhoo, it's really easy and sews up very quickly! You can embroider the words while you watch your favorite Christmas movie.... Like, White Christmas (I watch this every year), Home Alone, Prancer, Christmas in Connecticut, Fred Claus, The Santa Clause, The Polar Express, the Holiday, The Christmas Story, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Charlie Brown Christmas, Magoo's Christmas... Oh! I watch them all!!!  What Christmas movie is your favorite to watch every December????

Now, back to our featured pillow (I kinda got sidetracked with movies... I sure do like them all!).

Instructions for one pillow:

· Choose three coordinating Christmas fabrics.

· Cut back fabric 7.5”W x 13.5”L, front top fabric 7.5”W x 5”L, front bottom  fabric 7.5”W x 8.5”L, and bow fabric 2.75”W x 33.5”L.

· Sew top and bottom front fabrics together. (All seams are 1/4”.)

· Using a washable pen, write your words on the top fabric. You can trace words from a computer, that’s what I do. (I put the paper on the wrong side of the fabric and prop it against the window, so the sun's light makes it easy to see.)

 

· Embroider the words. I use two strands of floss.

· With wrong sides together, sew front and back fabrics together, leaving a 4” opening. Pull right side out; press.

· Fill with stuffing to desired plumpness. Stitch opening closed.

· Place bow fabric with wrong sides together. Cut off each end at a diagonal.

· Sew all around the edges, leaving a 3” opening in the center.

· Pull right sides out; press. Stitch opening closed.

· Tie bow around the pillow.

· Beautiful!

· Choose three coordinating Christmas fabrics.

Joy to The World!

Only two more nights, and then it happens. Like countless stars in the heavens above, so will our quilt guild be full of angels. On quilts, that is!

Every December we have a themed contest for our incubator blankets. Last year it was bells. The idea in my head turned out drastically bad on fabric, but I turned it in anyway, placing it on the table before anyone could notice whose it was. Then, I turned and high-tailed it to the nearest cold metal folding chair, and sinking into it and keeping silent as the night. My friend and I still laugh at how awful that little quilt turned out.

But this year it's angels. I can actually proclaim that this one is mine, because it turned out fairly decent. In our quilt guild we have ladies who have written books, get paid to give seminars, and have won those coveted ribbons and cash from famous quilt shows. One gal's quilt is traveling the world, on display everywhere. These are the folks I'm up against... Oh, well. Usually they are too busy quilting teensy-tiny stitches into their big, beautiful quilts to have much to do with these 32" x 32" premie quilts. So, maybe I'll be in contention for that box of chocolates, after all. LOL

Though I am not in their league, I am in one of my own making; and compared to the bells that didn't ring last year, this angel is flying high enough for me! And, she is heralding the glad tidings of Jesus!

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby,

keeping watch over their flocks at night.

An angel of the Lord appeared to them,

and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

 But the angel said to them,

"Do not be afraid.

I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you;

he is Christ the Lord.

This will be a sign to you:

You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
 "Glory to God in the highest,
 and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Luke 2:8-14

And this is definitely something to get the  

THANKSGIVING 

zinging up to heaven!

Let heaven and nature (and us) sing!!!

Bitterness Be Gone

Good morning!

This morning I was thinking about bitterness. Every time I say or think that word, a picture of a worm comes to mind. In our garden, finding a worm in our bell peppers or tomatoes spells destruction. That squirmy wormy, while happily munching till his tummy takes on a big circular shape, makes me sick when I discover him. Anything a worm eats, we cannot, because he destroys it. That's the same thing bitterness does in a heart. It just stuffs the heart and makes everyone around it sick.

I took two definitions of 'bitterness' from Dictionary.com....

characterized by intense antagonism or hostility: bitter hatred

resentful or cynical: bitter words

 

No one I knows has a life goal of growing bitter. Yet, it slithers in, ever so craftily, eating up all the joy and leaving a hollow shell. Don't let this happen to you! Or, if it already has, then praise God, He can redeem the wasted time and restore the joy in Him.

 

These things come to mind to begin battling bitterness:

1. Instead of dwelling on offenses and hurts, dwell on the good things in life, with a thankful heart. There are plenty: great weather, rain that waters everything and keeps our thirst quenched, flowers with beautiful color and fragrances, perfect for decorations, hair garland, admiring, God and all of His saving grace, His Word of truth, longsuffering and compassion, etc. He has given us a bucketful of things to be thankful for, compared to the thimble-full of hurts and offenses. When we think what God has given is the thimble-full and the overflowing bucket is of the offenses, then this is a sure sign that our thoughts are topsy-turvy. (I've been here often.)
   
2. Meditate on and marinate in God's Word.  "I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways" (Psalm 119:15).
3. Daily forgive. That way, there's less and less o be bitter about each day.
4. Pray, for you, for the offender.
   
5. Practice 1, 2, 3, & 4 again and again till you are one happy, joyful, thankful bloggerina!                    

Anyhoo, those are my morning's musings. If you have bitterness, then you have been hurt and are carrying it around and obsessing over the injustice of it all, how you don't deserve it, etc. It happens. But it doesn't have to rule your life and attitudes. Here are some verses that will be like an ointment in the wound (but don't stop with these few; open God's Word and you'll find tons more): Psalm 119:71, 107, 153; Habukkuk 3:17-19.
 

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:2).
The joy of the Lord is our strength!

Thanksgiving Worship

In my neck of the woods it is windy, chilly, cloudy. A perfect fall day, and I am simply going to have to ride my bike or take a walk, anything to frolic in it a bit! Wish you could join me, because thanksgiving is on my mind, and we could thank the Lord together. Oh, and this weather is reminding me of Susan Branch's cute and funny story about her and Joe's (her husband dearest) morning walks. They dubbed these daily treks "Morning Science"... but it's not like what you'd take in school! Anyhoo, the tale is delightful. I am soooo tempted to scan the pages and post them, but I don't wanna get arrested.

However, the story is in one of my favorite books of hers, Autumn, on pages 86 & 87. (My other favorite is Girlfriends. Both of my BFFs gifted me with copies, and I've lost them both! How can that happen?!!!!!! I still have the cover from one of them... figure that one out!) Go over to Amazon.com and they will let you take a peek inside (but not of the pages where that cute story is... I already checked. Rats!).

Anyhoo, this morning I was reading this:

I looked up "thanks' in my old King James Concordance, and here's what it means...

G2169
εὐχαριστία
eucharistia
yoo-khar-is-tee'-ah
From G2170; gratitude; actually grateful language (to God, as an act of worship): - thankfulness, (giving of) thanks (-giving).

Isn't that cool? I want to have 'grateful' as a second language, don't you? And when it comes to the Thanksgiving holiday, how many of us utter words of thanks but leave a worshipful heart behind? It really gives you something to think about, doesn't it? So, one more fun way to give thanks!

Enjoy your Thursday, no matter what the weather is!

Ornament Exchange!

Here is just one more thing to be thankful for -- FUN! Having spent all morning shampooing my carpet, it is with gleeful gratitude that I thank the Lord for fun in between the blessings of work.

And what fun am I now having? Well, first, yakking with you. Secondly, I just signed up for this ornament exchange, and you can read all about it HERE.

Cookies exchanges, ornament exchanges... I love them all! However, it's been years since I've done either. So, I'm pretty excited about this one!!! I mean...

THINK OF THE FUN OF FINDING A SURPRISE
IN YOUR MAILBOX!!!!!!!!

Join in the fun!
(You can purchase this, and more, vintage card.)

Okay, break time is over and I must continue homemaking. But first, remember Frenchie & Flea's great Homemade Holiday Giveaway! YOU JUST MIGHT WIN, 'cuz somebody has to!

And, by golly, that would give one of us even MORE things to be thankful for!!!

"They will celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness." Psalm 145:7

THANKFULNESS!

My mom and dad!

I just returned from Disneyland! (Pictures to come... They are all on my sister's camera, but she let me get snap-happy, and promised me that her muscled man {as she calls him} would email them to me soon.)

So, while I wait for Superman to fly home to me, I am blog hopping. You know how I love that! Some of my newest friends are out there, like darling Kaye Prince. The first time I ever stepped into her blog world she invited her readers to prop all feet upon her coffee table, in slippers if we wanted. Well, I wanted, and have cozily kept them there ever since! I am just such a girlfriend gal that I think you should put on your slippers and join us!

Anyhoo, wanna hear what I learned tonight, quite by accident??? How to FINALLY get my very own playlist for my blog.

Songs evoke such memories, that I love them on blogs!

My mom died of cancer eight years ago, but when she was alive and raising her four daughters and one son (who was convinced he was adopted since he had no bros) she ALWAYS had music playing (records on her HIFI, of course...lol). It was wonderful! Doris Day, Ray Coniff, Tijuana Brass, Andy Williams... Just to name a few.

So, in honor of you, Mom, here's some Christmas music that I keep in my car, from the Ray Connif singers. Well, not the Psalm 23 song. Until I discovered how to do the playlist, I didn't even know Ray Connif sang such songs. But then... it was in such a different time, when the name of Jesus was adored. (Oh, to get your own playlist, go HERE.)

If you haven't guessed what this blog is about, it's this -- THANKFULNESS! I'm thankful for songs, moms & dads, playlists that are free for bloggers (and their wonderful listeners!), Disneyland, Brandon, the son of my niece whom I went to Disneyland with (who kisses my hand, kicks me in his sleep, tells me I'm his friend, and is possibly the only 'grandson' I may ever have). He loves me! I am thankful for that!

Don't we have sooooooooooooooooooooooo much to thank the Lord for?

"Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."
Psalm 106:1

Even though I have Christmas music playing, it has only enhanced my giving thanks to God!

Oh! If you have never watched the old movie (in color) Calamity Jane with Doris Day, then rent it ! Netflix has it!

I'm thankful for YOU! :)

Let Your Little Light Shine!

I love Christmas and everything about it!

Hoping you are willing to chime into the spirit of it a bit early with me, let's do a craft! It's so simple you can make it in the time it takes you to sip your Starbucks' Eggnog Latte. Oooh, let's go get one!

What we will make is the candle holder in the picture above. Yesterday I drove up to Shannon's little town and had a blast at her church's annual women's ministry fundraising Christmas Tea. It is now going to be my new tradition!

Each table was decorated by the Hostess-of-the-Table. As our speaker noticed, the tables were each unique, like each of us women! I liked that. It made me feel okay to be who I am, just how God made me. That's important for us women, who are prone to comparisons, to know that our gifts and talents, though different from other women's, are uniquely ours for the purposes of God! Yay!

Anyhoo, the theme was Light of the World so I thought it was a perfect time to show you how to make these little candle holders. Really, you will be happy how little time and money they take. AND WITH COUPONS AND SALES, THE RIBBON AND CANDLES WERE VERY CHEAP!

These make darling gifts! Just click on the picture below and you can read (or print) the instructions. Merry crafting!

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
John 8:12

You're Tagged!

Several birthdays ago, my friend Laurie sent me lots of fun stuff in the mail (she does every October!!!). Included, was this darling homemade tag! God did not hold back in filling her to full with artsy creativity; He just dumped His whole bag on her, practically!!!

Anyhoo, I set this tag on my desk every fall. While looking at it the other day, I got a hankering to make a lot of Christmas tags and blog about them. Gathering up all my Michael's coupons, I got in my car and headed right over there. Card stock, stamps, ribbon. Oh my! I came home loaded for action...

Uh... but then I got sidetracked with sewing....

Well, today, in my blog-hopping, what do you think I saw? Yep! A post with darling tags -

ALREADY MADE FOR YOU
TO SIMPLY PRINT OUT AND USE!
Easy peasy!

So, head over to SkipToMyLou and go tag shopping -- FOR FREE! You don't even have to waste gas or find coupons! YayayyaayaayyY! With that generous post of hers, you're tagged for the holidays!! Find the ones you love, print them up, smack them onto darling homemade gifts!

Now, back to Laurie. Her oldest daughter has a blog I like to follow. Her mom's artsy creativeness flowed right into her blood, and just look at her blog and you'll see what I mean! Anyhoo, she is have a major giveaway, for 3 whole weeks, beginning Monday. Read all about it on her blog! She wants to support other arsty creative people, thus the giveaway idea. So....like her mom, she is creative & kind & generous! Go have some fun over there!

"The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered."
Proverbs 11:25

All Kinds of Ideas

I love giveaways,
and wish I could win them all.
Really, I do!

But this book... ummm, whether I win it or buy it, simply must be in my sewing room, cheering me on!
You all know how I love ...

.dots...
. and red (& pink)
and did you know that my mom's name was Ruby,
and that dad called her 'Ruby Lips'?
So, it fits!
:)

Sew....

The Bible tells us,"So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people..." (Galatians 6:10a).

Here, I have the opportunity to do YOU good by telling you where to go for YOUR chance to win this fun book: Hop here, to leave a lovely comment for Sheri and be entered into her fabulous giveaway! Good luck!!!

Now...

I have all kinds of ideas that also will do you good, with your sewing projects!

1. Use your old pajamas (my beloved nightie was so worn the fabric finally shredded apart) to make a pattern for some new ones! (For the photo, I had to stand on my bathtub edge and snap a picture of me in the mirror.)


2. Use ribbon (non-wired) instead of bias tape! All you have to do is fold it in half, with the back side a tad longer than the front side, to ensure you catch all the seam.


3. When needing to keep tabs on your pattern pieces, such as which side is the front or back, write it on scraps of freezer paper and press it on. It peels right off when your project is finished, and you don't have to watch for sharp poking pins!


4. When you're sewing, that means you are NOT in the kitchen using your cookbook holder. So, go get it and put it in front of your machine as a quilt book holder (and perhaps, soon, a

....VERY SPECIFIC QUILT BOOK....).

And that sews up this day's post!

Do good to someone today,
just because you can!

In A Jam?

When you are in a jam, what do you do?

Over the weekend, I was in a bit of a sticky situation, and I let it get the best of me. When it was all over and my sight was then 20/20, I wished that I would have trusted the Lord. Not trusting was like making a batch of jam and letting it burn!

There are so many sticky situations in life, that we can get stuck in them if we don't trust the Lord.

Well, I found this perfect verse for when we get in a jam:

"The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him" (Nahum 1:7).

Our Friday morning Bible study is going through the book of Mark, and as I was reading verse 45 of chapter six, this portion of the verse hooked my attention...

"Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them."

... He saw ...

His eye is on us!

... He saw them straining ...

His eye is on our struggle!

... He saw them straining at rowing ...

He knows the what the struggle is!

... For the wind was against them ...

He knows what we're up against!

When those straining disciples finally saw Jesus, He said to them, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid" (vs. 50).

That really seemed like a funny thing to say in the midst of straining and struggles and fear. Being of good cheer was definitely the opposite of my bad mood in my own little jam.

And that is one reason why the winds of life are necessary - to teach us to live opposite!

Opposition blows our way so that we blow God's way -- learning to have faith instead of fear, trust instead of straining, good cheer instead of bad moods, dependence on Him instead of self-sufficiency.

Anyhoo, those are some lessons I learned this weekend about jams!

And so... with jams on my mind, I yanked from the freezer all the collected strawberries from summer. I had enough berries to make two batches, which I love to give away as small gifts during Christmas. However, I only had enough empty jars and sugar for one batch of jam! Phooey! So, for the first time ever I made a Strawberry Pie! Oh, yes, I did. Superman loved it!!!

The recipe I used was from here.

One handy trick I learned long ago was to roll my crust around my rolling pin, to get it off the bread board and into my dish. Like this...

Then, after the crust was all gently tucked into the lightly greased dish, I poked air holes in the crust, like I was taught.

Trouble is, the crazy crust shrank!

CAN ANYBODY HELP ME?

If you are a pie maker, please share your tips for keeping that silly crust in its place, and get me out of this recurring jam!!!

Thanks!