A Few Little Purchases!

Couldn't have asked for a better day today to drive up
to Logan to go shopping with my friend, Joann -- blue
skies, clear roads, sunshine and temperatures in the
40's. (F)  You'd never know it was the end of January.
The snow on the mountains sparkled like cut diamonds
as the sun reflected off of them.  Made it a perfect day
for shopping!

We stopped in Brigham City to pick up pattern #8,
"Journey of quilter by Leanne Beasley.

I was excited to find the Schnibbles pattern, "Full House"
at the Bernina shop in Logan.   I have been looking
for it, but no one here carried it.  Now to find the
right fabrics.  I want to do  it in brighter colors.

While in Village Dry Goods picking up our patterns,
saw this "Bear Paw" table runner displayed on the
wall.

It had been offered as a class and they happened to
have some extra kits for purchase.  Since I have
always wanted to do a scrappy Bear Paw couldn't
resist purchasing a kit.

Everywhere we went, we just"oohed" and "awed"
over the beautiful new fabrics that were coming in and
on display.  I could have taken a piece of everything
I saw. 

Guess I'll just have to content myself with my lovely
purchases today.

Stay safe and be well,

Nola

Three Down----

Spent most of the day in my sewing room working on
projects.  My daughter and I are making curtains for
my granddaughter's room.  She and her Daddy painted
her room pink and needs new curtains.  My daughter
will add the gathering stitches to pull up the curtain
from the bottom and add the bows in the next day or
two.  Hopefully, Hailey will like what we have done.

Finally finished block three of my Hocuspocusville
Houses----nine more to go!

"Bertha" is now sewn together.  Borders should be added
in the next day or two if all goes well.

This has been such a fun and easy project.  Love these
smaller projects!

Tomorrow is a play day with my friend.  I'll be
driving up to Logan to visit her and a couple of quilt
shops that we like.  Wonder what I will come home
with?  Do know I need to find some white on white
dot to finish a Valentine project.  Can't find any here,
so wish me luck!

Stay safe and Be Well,

Nola

What Is This?

Today as I was walking my daughter and grandson's out
to their car, I happened to glance over at my flower bed
by the corner of the house and thought I saw something
 green popping out of the ground.

Of course, we all had to check it out and this is what
we found:

I guess with the mild winter we have had and the
flower bed facing the west, my little crocuses are
anxious to make an appearance.  Seeing them makes
me smile because I know spring can't be too far
behind.

Stay safe and be well,

Nola

Sunshine Squishies!

While browsing some blogs this evening I came upon
this one by  Shelley.  She wrote about her friend
Karren of http://www.thepaintedquilt.blogspot.com/.
As many of you may know who follow Karren's blog
or enjoys her FFF's, she is beginning treatments for
cancer and will be away from her home for the next
5 1/2 weeks.

Shelley suggested we send her some cheer and
sunshine to help her keep her chin up.  You can read
more about this on her blog.  But, those who would
like to send her a note, card, etc., can do  so by
leaving a comment on her blog and she'll send Karren's
snail mail address to you.

Being a breast cancer survivor, I know how much a
note, card, or remembrance means when you are
going  through chemo and radiation.  It means so
much to know there are others out there who care
about you.  Sometimes that little note or thought is
just what is needed to help you get through a rough
day.

So, if you are interested in participating just check
out Shelley's blog.   I  know it will mean a lot to
Karren.

Nola

Perfect Day for Shopping

Finally, a good day, good roads, clear skies and sunshine.
Perfect for shopping!  My friend ,Jo Ann, and I have
been waiting all month to visit Pine Needles.  We had
coupons that were expiring and we wanted to use them
for the last kit in the seasonal wall hangings we have
purchased.

However, we were so disappointed when we arrived to
find that the kit for this last wall hanging was not
available.  They were packing them to take to a quilt
retreat this weekend and would be available again later
next week.

Nothing else grabbed our fancy. But, I did need to get
some white weaver's cloth that I like to stitch on.
As we were checking out, we mentioned how
disappointed we were not to be taking one home and
that we had made a special trip down to get our kit.

Well, bless Holly's heart -- she gave us two of the kits
that were being sent to the quilt retreat!  Thank you,
thank you, Holly.  Now we could smile once again.
These ladies are the best!  And we even got to use
our 35% off coupon. 

Love the bright red's and green's.


 Jo Ann has been wanting to stitch a sampler for some
time and finally found one she liked and invited me to
stitch one for myself.  So while she was here today we
picked up some transfer-ez,  photocopied the pattern and
pressed it on our fabric.

I'm sure this will take me several months to stitch.
It will be done in black embroidery floss. Not
sure if I will frame it or make it into a wall
hanging when it is stitched.

I was excited to find this fabric to bind my bow tie
wall hanging.  I have debated about adding a border
but after seeing a small quilt on a blog (sorry don't
recall whose it was) that was done this way, I
knew this would be perfect for me.

Now to get it quilted so I can add the binding.

What a fun day it has been!

Stay Safe and Be Well,

Nola

It's Sprinter

I loved it last week when our weatherman added a new
season:  "Sprinter".  Very appropriate for the type of
weather we have been experiencing.  Last week
temperatures hit the mid-50's and it felt like "spring"
was here.  But, as Utahn's know, give it a little while
and things will change which it did to "winter".  Hence,
Sprinter.

Over the weekend we had rain that didn't quit and
caused flooding in many areas.  My backyard and
garden area was quickly filling up as the water had
no where to go since the ground was frozen.
Saturday afternoon the rain turned to snow and
ice quickly formed.  What a mess!

Now today I think we are back to winter with
temperatures in the low 30's and snow is falling
as I write this.

Having stormy weather has kept me inside working
on continuing projects and not really completing
any one thing.

Today I worked on more of these little blocks.
Only have a few more to piece and then I can lay
them out and stitch them together.

Am continuing to work on my Dad's history with my
sister.  Today I spent the afternoon working on
photo's of his mission.  I love this picture of him
as a missionary.

I'm thinking that if the weather pattern continues as
it is now, we should be able to finish his book before
spring arrives officially.

Since this is a daytime project, I am able to get a
little stitching done in the evenings and piecing
done in the early morning hours.  Just can't seem
to stick with one thing too long!  Wonder if I
will ever complete one project!

Stay well and be safe,

Nola

This and That

For a while now all I seem to be doing is a little of "this
and a little of that"--not really finishing anything.

My sister and I are continuing our efforts to get our
Father's history written.  While going through one of
his old photo albums, I found find this picture for us to
use with a story I wrote entitled "Gone Fishing."
My father was an avid fisherman and hunter and
provided well for our family with his skills.

We had found some other pictures of him with his
Father and other family members, but I was so
excited to find this one of him alone.  Now I can
add this picture to my story.

I have also been doing a little of "this and that" thanks
to Di and Miss Gracie who issued a challenge earlier
this month to prepare for Valentine's Day--PFV day.

Using a Valentine charm pack I had recently
purchased and a pattern that I've had forever,
started cutting, sewing and piecing these half-
square triangles for a gift. 


















Then because I am hosting a "Friendship
Luncheon" the 7th of February, the challenge
spurred me on to get these little fabric Valentine
baskets made early for our favors.  It is so nice to  have
them done early.



















Using the pattern "Bertha" from
http://meandmysisterdesigns.com that once again, I've
had for a couple of years and the charm pack "Old
Primrose Inn by Blackbird Designs for Moda, I
have started sewing these quick and easy little blocks:

In between working on sewing projects, I've also been
stitching on my Halloween houses that were set to the
side while I worked on Christmas projects.  One of
my goals is to finish stitching all of them and
assembling them into a quilt so we can enjoy them
come Halloween.

Be well and stay safe,

Nola

A Good Day!

Back in December I was one of the lucky winners of
Leslie's  giveaway.  Today in the mail I received these
two delightful patterns:

They will go in my Christmas "to do" file for the
coming season.  Thank you so much Leslie.

Today I was able to sew the "bow tie" blocks
together.  Guess I will need to go shopping for some
fabric for the borders as nothing I have in my
stash seems to work. 

Cut and sewed several half square triangles for another
project and also sewed the borders on a couple of
"little birdie" blocks.  I am so far behind in my stitching.
Hope to get caught up in the near future.

Stay safe and be well,

Nola

The Wait is Over

December was the driest December on record here.  We
have experienced spring-like weather for some time now,
bright sunny days and temperatures above normal.  I
must admit I have loved it!  Don't really like the dark
dreary days.  Sunshine makes me feel energized.

But, I believe winter has arrived...at least for today.
This is what I woke to this morning:  A winter
wonderland.

It is a beautiful sight and although I was more than
ready to forgo snow here in the valley, it is needed
and I am grateful "I live in this beautiful world
Heavenly Father created for me."

Stay safe and be well,

Nola