Fish

Thought I'd post a picture of the bass hubby caught today......

Bear Country

I started sewing after dinner and just finished the Bear Country Quilt.  It will probably be a gift to a family member who just moved into a log cabin.  I plan to quilt it tomorrow. The directions called for paper piecing the flying geese.  I did one section, but just didn't see the advantage.  I ended up putting them together the normal way and cutting them down to the right size.  That was my first experience with paper piecing and I am not impressed.

We aren't big on partying the new year in.  I prefer to quilt the new year in!  The hubby prefers to fish the new year in.

Happy New Year!! (early)

Wonderful day today.  Just piddlin around.  Walked with my best walking bud; exercised on the Wii Fit I received for Christmas (Love it! Love it!); made some bread; did a little cleaning and organizing, and made some homemade noodles!  I've always wanted to make some and I found a recipe on one of my favorite blogs, The Pioneer Woman.

They don't look that appetizing but they were good.  I made some Alfredo sauce to go on them.  They were just a bit tough, so I may have cooked them too long, but still good.

I am working on my "Bear Country" quilt that I bought when we were on vacation in Kalispell, Montana.  Maybe I'll get it finished tomorrow and post a picture.

Hope all of you have a wonderful New Year full of love, laughter and God's blessings.

Baby Star Quilt

I've had this little one cut out for a year or so now.  Decided yesterday to put it together.  It will go in my stash for gifts.

Another quilt to hang

I always take my Christmas decorations down on Christmas day.  Hope that doesn't make me a Scrooge!  Once the presents are opened, I just don't like to have the stuff out.  So, I even hung a different quilt on my hanging rod. This is my scrap string quilt.

Merry Christmas

This is the McDaniel family Christmas, but we are missing Elijah and Katie this year.  They couldn't come home for Christmas.  The fun is still going on.  The annual Go-Fish tournament is in full heat around the dining table.

Curtain Rod

My sweet brother-in-law hung this rod that my sweet friend gave me!  Yippee, now I can display another quilt.

Paper snowflakes

I may have gotten a little carried away with making paper snowflakes.......

Finished

Quilted with stippling, continuous curves, feathers, ziggles, stitch in the ditch, and other free hand designs.

Quiltathon

Except for a couple of hours at the Walmart for groceries today, I have been at my machine quilting the ''monster" civil war quilt.  I finally finished this evening and after supper started the binding.  I have gotten two sides done, but my fingers and wrists are getting sore. I should get it finished tomorrow, then I'll post a picture.

I am glad that my custom quilting mistakes really don't bother me much.  And I am glad that I tackled it with custom quilting, even though I am not thrilled with the results, but I've learned a lot in doing so.  The imperfections only make it truly my work.

I think what helps me to not worry about the quality of my work, is looking at my grandmother's and my mother-in-law's quilts.  They are not perfect, but functional, beautiful, and made with loving hands. That is my goal for my work.

Decorations

This is the prettiest little crackled vase.  I bought it at the Yankee Candle store and inside I have the Mistletoe candle.  Really makes the house smell like Christmas.

Free Day off Work

It is hard to believe, but we've had two snow days this week from work!  In all my thirty years there it has been very rare for them to cancel work due to weather.  I've made muffins and meat loaf for the freezer, in preparation for my sister and brother-in-law's visit next week.  I've made paper snowflakes all afternoon, and had so much fun.  Hope to get to work on my quilt either later tonight or in the morning.  I hope to have the quilting done by tomorrow evening.

I've made 20 of these snowflakes.  I saw them in a favorite blog, "Trends and Traditions" and looked up how to make them on Utube.

Visit with the Kids

We got in a quick visit to Louisville to see Elijah and Katie.  It was great, except way too short.  We went out to eat, saw a movie, exchanged gifts, played the Wii, and went to church with them this morning.  Then we had to come back.....I teared up when we left.  I miss them so much.

Exchanging gifts

We went out to eat at Olive Garden.  Yummy!

Beautiful lobby of the Legacy Hotel on SBTS Campus

Decisions, decisions.....

Trying to decide on the patterns to quilt in the various blocks.  Think I've got the smaller blocks figured out.  It is the larger ones that I am having trouble with.  I did start with the little ziggle in the outermost border and the feathers in the next border.

Finished

I am so excited!  I finished the borders on the civil war quilt so it is ready to load on the machine.  I have decided to custom quilt it and do a particular design for each block. Any suggestions for the quilting?