"Little Hats"

Finally got the border on my "little hats" wall hanging.  I have
been working on this forever, it seems.  Several years ago,
Vicki shared these sweet little hat patterns.  I knew
immediately that I would do these sometime in honor of my
Mother who was known as "The Hat Lady."  Mother had a
hat for every occasion and when she traveled always came
home with a new hat.

Mother has now been gone11 years and it is time I finished
the stitcheries and assembled them.  The binding will be made
from the fabrics surrounding the stitcheries.  Not sure how
long it will take me to quilt this as I want to do it by hand.

Once it is completed it will hang on my wall along with a
poem I've written about Mother and her hats as well as a
picture of Mother in one of her hats.

Thanks Karen for you great suggestions!

Patriotic Wreath

I'm finding it hard to believe that summer is here
and it will be the 4th of July in a week or so.
Time is just racing by and I don't like to think
that soon fall and winter will be here.  I want
summer to last "forever".

My friend came down from Logan yesterday
and after doing some fabric shopping, we
made us each, plus one for my daughter, a
patriotic wreath using up some of my old
fabrics.  It is a take off on the popular bandana
wreaths that you see everywhere. We just "tweaked"
ours a little and I love the fluffy look.  So glad
we cut the strips of fabric after tying them and also
"pinking" them.

I think they turned out so cute.  Much bigger than I
thought it would be, so it is on my fireplace and looks
perfect.  All we have to do now is go find a cute
little patriotic sign to attach to the blue section.
Maybe we'll end up with stars, but I would prefer a
sign.  Just have to see what's out there.

It's Been Two Months!

Can't believe it has been two months since I last posted.
How quickly times flies.  Winter was hard for me this year
with all the snow and cold weather.  It made it difficult
to get out and walk which I really missed.  And now that
the weather is getting better, I have tendinitis in my foot
and because it is quite painful and tender, I don't walk
as much or as far.  Very frustrating!

But, I guess one good thing has come from it...I'm
working on projects that need to be finished...which may
take me into the next century!  Sadly, some of them I
no longer like, but will finish them and then decide what
to do as I hate to waste the money I've invested in them.

I've somewhat sorted them into categories from favorites
to least favorites and am working to complete them in
that order.

I now have three blocks of the Scandinavian Christmas
completed...one down to go and then I will need to
piece the blocks that surround them.  Have decided to
make it smaller than what the pattern calls for as I
really don't have room to hang a large quilt and I
want this to be out where I can enjoy it come Christmas.

I had stitched this piece in December as I chose "Joy"
for my word this year and then filed it away.  Finally
found it and framed it.

Remember Bunny Hill's Tisket A Tasket from a few years
ago?  The blocks were in a folder with fabric and
embellishments.  Some were finished, others needed the
embroidery work while others needed to have the
applique done.  Just need to buttonhole around the
flowers on this one and then it will be done.    Hopefully,
I will be able to finish them in the not too distant future!

Besides working on projects, I have become addicted
to knitting dishcloths and have been making them
as gifts.  They are a nice break from all the sewing! 

Well, time to get back to my projects.

Treats Delivered!

It is so much more fun making and preparing treats
for others when I have someone to do it with.
My daughter and grandson came today and had
lunch with me and then spent the afternoon
preparing treats for school teachers, friends and
the ladies in my neighborhood.  So much fun to
work together, share laughter and have a little
one who still "loves" to help.

Valentine treat bags filled with Valentine popcorn
(popcorn,square pretzels broken into small pieces, red
& white M&M's mixed with pink chocolate melts
spread out on a cookie sheet.  After pink chocolate set
up we drizzled white chocolate melts across the top).
After they left, I walked around the neighborhood
and left them anonymously in their "hearts."  Doing this
reminded me of when I was little and we would
deliver Valentines to our friends, leave them on the
door step, knock and run so we wouldn't get caught.
I tried very hard not to get caught today!

Daybook Entry

For Today...February 9, 2016

Outside my window...It is a beautiful sunny day, well, at
least I can see the blue sky and sun through the inversion.
I look forward to the end of February because that is when
our yearly winter inversion goes away.  Even the temperature
is nice today.  It is in the low 40's and the snow is melting!

I am thinking...There are only four more days until our family

Valentine party and I am just about ready.  Can't wait!

 

I am thankful...that my bil's knee surgery was successful

and that he is doing so well.  He has had so much pain so

it was definitely time to get this done especially since his

doctor is retiring. 

I am wearing...Levi's, long sleeved shirt and a

sweater. 

I am creating...Friendship Valentines.

   

At our recent Relief Society meeting, paper hearts

were made to hang on our doors through the month 

of February.  We were challenged to leave little notes,

treats or whatever we'd like, in them letting the sisters 

know they are cared for and loved.

I am learning...How much fun it is to do Origami.  I

have made little boxes to hold the star/heart bill

and gold coin.  Think I may make more and put

treats in for the sisters.  I have also found a fun airplane 

that actually flies straight that we will be using

for one of our games.

I am hoping...The valentine packages I sent to

my family have arrived.  It has been so much fun knitting

these "heart" dishcloths.  Hoping they will enjoy

using them.

I'm also hoping this little stitchery arrived at its

new home:

In my kitchen...Orange scones are calling to me.

Recently found a recipe to use up my oranges and

it is very yummy!  Just wish I had had some craisins

to add to the dough.  Sadly, they are not going to

last very long....way too tempting to have with a cup

of hot chocolate.

One of my favorite things...Watching all the sweet
little birds at the feeder outside my window.  They are
so delightful.  However, I do not enjoy all mess
they make, but I guess that is the price one must pay
to be able to enjoy them up close.

Hope you enjoyed a look into my day and that
your day is going well.

How I've Spent My Afternoon!

Each day I try to do a little for my Family Valentine Party
which will be held Saturday, February 13th.  Recently, I had
seen an origami heart/star on Pinterest and thought it would be
fun to make one for one of the prizes using a $2.00 bill as my
grandchildren love the art of origami.  It is a
tradition to give them the bill in some form or another as a
prize.  So, after viewing a tutorial on Youtube, I decided
to give it a try.

The first tutorial I watched was a little too complicated for
me, but this one https://www.youtube.com/watch? 
was very easy to follow.  This is my first attempt using a
$1.00 bill:

Not too bad, if I say so myself!  Now to make several
more using the $2.00 bills.  Actually, it was quite fun!

I have also made simple invitations this year which is
another tradition.  If the kids don't get one early in the
month, they are continually asking their parents when
Grandma is going to have her party and if they are
going to get an invitation.

I found the format to print the heart here:  Heart Writing

I printed it on pink marbled construction paper, taped
the heart to a toothpick and stuck it in a chocolate
"kiss" as everyone needs a little treat with their
invitation!

Guess, I'll be off to work on more origami hearts!

Simple Woman's Daybook

For quite a few years, I would post thoughts using
 The Simple Woman's Daybook outline. 
But then, I found myself pulling away and basically
not even blogging.  So, when I was reading  Barb's
blog recently and she had posted, decided I wanted
to get back to doing that.  How often I'll post, I'm
not sure, but for now it is a good way to keep track
of what I've been doing.  So, here goes:


For Today...   I'm going to work on my upcoming

Valentine Party.  Need to check out what things I have

left from past party's to use as gifts.

 Outside my window...  It is a beautiful wintery 

morning.  The sun is shining through my windows

making  my room appear bright and warm.  I love

sunshine!  Always have more energy when the

skies are clear and the sun is brightening my world.

 I am thinking...That if it warms up, I'll take a little

walk before I get busy on projects for the day. 

 I am thankful...For a warm house.  How grateful I

am to have a comfortable home and conveniences that

make my life easier.  When I was a child, we did not

have central heating and my room at the top of the

stairs was always cold in the winter.  The only way it

was heated was to leave the door open and let the

heat from the kitchen stove flow up into the room. 

I am wearing... My P.J.'s.  Very lazy this morning.

Since I didn't have to leave the house to go to work,
I've just lounged around in them.  Now, I need to
get showered and ready for the day. 

I am creating...A file of Valentine ideas for my

upcoming family Valentine party. 

I am going...Focus on projects around the house

today and working a little more on my knitting

projects as well as work on Valentines.

I am wondering...If the mailman will deliver some

books I ordered.  Several years ago, I ordered a

couple of books from the New Jersey Historical

Society that focused on my ancestors.  Apparently,

they are no longer to be found,so I ordered some

for my sister and myself.  Think they will help clear

up some problems I've been having. 

I am reading...Some delightful little books that

help me escape.  There is a series:  "Love Finds 
You In..." that I have enjoyed by various authors.
Each one focuses on a different city and state.
Really nothing educational, just a great way to
escape from the daily life. 

 I am hoping...To get a little "Love Note" mailed

to my grandson today that I've put to the back of

my mind.  He gave his first talk in church a couple

of Sunday's ago and I want him to know how much

I enjoyed being invited to hear him speak and to feel

of his sweet spirit. 

In my kitchen:  The faint smells of homemade

bread still linger from yesterday's baking.  I love

homemade bread and this recipe is a great way

to use up wheat and powder milk from my

storage. 

One of my favorite things:

Christmas Eve nativity with my grandchildren

Hope you enjoyed a peek into my "daybook"!

What I've Been Up To

Goodness, it is the middle of January already and what have
I done to pass these long, snowy, cold winter days?  Stayed
in doors and worked on projects.

Some time ago, I discovered that my direct genealogical
line on my Mother's side had been altered and changed by
someone using the same program I had:  Family Search.  Very
frustrating to me and my sister. Also discovered some incorrect
dates for my parents marriage.  Since, I have most of the
information, decided I would try and correct everything.  What
a project!  Needless, to say, I have had to email verification
to Family Search and am now waiting for the corrections to
be made.  As, I further researched the lines on my "fan chart"
I have found other errors and will have to work on them at
a later date.  Can't believe the time I have spent working on
this, but hopefully, it will get straightened out soon.

I've also been making copies of important documents
and certificates of my children and putting them in a book
that will become part of our Family History.  They have
the originals, but I wanted copies for my own records.
Each day I've been trying to get back to working on
cleaning out my drawers and files that contain information
for my own family history.  Decided that I would just
select a drawer or file and work on it and then add it
to my book or file.  Don't know how long I'll do this, but
for now it helps pass the time when I'm stuck in doors.

For Christmas a close friend knitted some dish cloths
and gave me.  I have loved using them and decided I
wanted to learn how to make them.  Now, I am addicted!
Have made four so far. two each color.

Hope to get some made for Valentines to send to my
kids in Oregon and for my daughter's birthday.

Have also tried to crochet some hearts.  I'm not very good
at doing these.  Wanted to make a few to string as a
garland, but think I need a simpler pattern and also one
that is a little bit larger.  They only measure about 2 1/2 inches
across.  Anyone have a quick easy pattern.  Perhaps if
I keep working, they'll turn out better and get easier!

Hope everyone's New Year is off to a good start!