Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

"Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, 

is the true measure of our thanksgiving."

This Thanksgiving I have much to be grateful for but I am 

especially grateful for you, my blogging friends.

I have learned so much from you this year.  I have been

touched by your ups and downs, your trials and sorrows, your 

joys and happy moments, your inner strengths and positive 

attitudes and wonderful accomplishments.  I'm thankful for your 

willingness to share your talents with all of us.  I am thankful for 

the encouraging words left on my blog and most of all, that

you take the time to drop by and visit.  It always makes my

day!  

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving,

Nola

They Weren't Kidding!

Our local weather forecasters weren't kidding when they said
we were going to be in blizzard conditions by commute time
tonight.

I watched the storm roll in as I sat by my window quilting.  It
was like one minute the wind was just blowing and the next
snow was coming down sideways.  Now I can't even see
across the street.  Many roads and local freeways are now
closed.

The wind gusts have been around 50 mph off and on all day
long and the wind chill has really dropped.  This storm is
supposed to continue until morning and then taper off.  
Tomorrow morning will be a warm 8 F. when I head out
the door to work.  Ttemperatures for the next couple of days,
including Thanksgiving, are only to be 17 to 19 F.

How thankful I am to be in a warm home enjoying a nice
cup of hot chocolate.  Think I'll snuggle down and read a
good book.

Take care if it's storming where you are.

Nola

I Found It!

I can't believe I found it...my lost quilt pattern!  (Hankies for
Remembrance)  Back in August I asked for help in locating
a quilt magazine that I thought I had either lost, thrown
away or loaned to someone.  No one could help me!  My
quilting friends here looked high and low with no luck.  How
sad I was.

My sister and I had wanted to use the beautiful handkerchiefs
that were our Mothers in this quilt.  She completed her quilt and
then gave me the magazine and pattern.  This was back in
2008.  I thought I had put the magazine with the
handkerchiefs, but when I was ready to make the small
quilt, I couldn't find the magazine or patterns.  We
were both sick and decided that we would have to try
and trace her quilt for the pattern.

 














THEN today I found it!  I was so excited and happy!
Had I not been looking for some Christmas buttons I
would never have discovered it.  After searching through
my stitching basket I recalled sliding another basket
under the skirt of a round table in the family room.  So,
thought I'd check it out for the buttons and while sorting
through it, I noticed several envelopes and folders
containing histories I had been working on.  A brown
envelope caught my attention.  I pulled it out, opened
it and there to my shock and disbelief was the magazine!

I'm sure I looked in the basket many times, but because
it was in an envelope, I never saw it or checked what was
inside.  And, had I not taken the time to look at the
histories,etc. today, it would still be "lost" to me.
I quickly marked the envelope in big bold letters and
marched it downstairs to be filed with the hankies until
I can get to it.

Because it has been doing this off and on all day 

it seemed like the perfect day to hibernate inside and
work on projects.  This little quilt from Gail Pan is all basted and
ready to be quilted.  My goal is to have it finished by Dec. 1.

Also made a few more mug rugs and just need to add a
little stitching and binding to them.

So, tonight while temperatures drop and the snow
continues to fall, I can sit snuggled under a warm blanket
and quilt and stitch to my hearts content.

Nola

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY...Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Outside my window... It is a cool, yet beautiful fall day.  The sun
has been shining and lifting my spirits with its brightness.  The
blue of the sky is being filtered by high thin wispy clouds.  A
perfect afternoon for mulching more dropped leaves.

I am thinking...  That my mother would have been 95 years
young yesterday if she were still with us.  Mother always
signed her cards with her name and age with the word
"young" after the year.  She never thought in terms of being
old as she was "young in spirit".  Although it has been 5
years I still miss her and probably always will.

I am thankful for...  A wonderful son-in-law who is
celebrating his birthday today.  He has been such a
blessing to our family and treats my daughter like a
queen.  He is a great father and a wonderful example
to everyone.

From the kitchen...Lemon-kissed chicken, baked
potatoes, green salad.

I am wearing...My grubby's.  Have been out working
in the yard and haven't changed yet.

I am creating...  Nothing really.  Just trying to finish up
some Christmas projects and mug rugs.

I am going...  To my nephew's funeral tomorrow.  We will
miss him, but know he is now free from pain and in a
better place.

I am reading...  Lots of articles in preparation for a talk
I will be giving Sunday.

I am hoping...  My cold is getting better.  Don't want to
share with family tomorrow.

I am hearing...  The ticking of the clock telling me it's time
to get those potatoes in the oven.

Around the house...Mail waiting to be sorted, a little ironing
needed to be attended to, and a few scattered toys left out
from the grandchildren's visit.

One of my favorite things...  chocolate cinnamon bears.
Just got some in the store and I couldn't resist bringing home
a few.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Visiting a couple of neighbors this evening
Funeral
Baby sistting
Birthday party for grandson and son-in-law

Church

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...
Fun in the leaves!

Have a wonderful Wednesday.
Nola

A different kind of give away!

Sniffles, sneezing, and coughing have invaded my privacy!
I think it is very rude!  This is not a good time for this
kind of company!  Somehow, someway, they've got to be
on their way by Thursday.

Can I share them with anyone!  They're free to the
first taker!

Nola

I Did It!

Yup, I hopped on the band wagon and joined the "Mug Rug"
craze that is sweeping blog land.  I adore these little "quilts"
and still wonder where I've been that I didn't know about
them until recently. 

I really want to make some for friends and co-workers, so
today I thumbed through my "Miniature" quilt magazines
that I've been saving for "some day" looking for ideas that
I could adapt.  When I saw simple directions for making
an "hour glass" block, I knew that was what I wanted to do.

So, I rummaged through some left-over charm squares and
came up with this scrappy mug rug.  Will probably make
one where the "hour glass" is all one color later, but this
was fun and a good way to use up those "little scraps from
the charms.

I have enough blocks left over to do one more.  Think I
will border it in burgundy/red.  Also may make my vertical
stripes a little narrower.  This is about 7 x 10 inches and
I wonder if it is too big?  Instead of quilting it by hand,
just used my sewing machine and stitched around it.

While scrounging around for fabric found some little
"flying geese" blocks and decided making them into a
mug rug would be a good way to use them up.  Didn't
get the backing, quilting and binding done yet.  That
will have to be a "tomorrow" project.  It is about 7 x 9
inches.  Have to decide on binding.  Do I do the same
as the sashing or bring in something different in greens?

Think I may do one that is a scrappy stripes as I've been
cutting diffferent size strips from my old 80's fabric.
Could even sew them in rows and cut into 1 1/2 blocks.

Guess the sky is the limit when it comes to making these.

Hugs,

Nola