One Can Never Have~~~

I have decided one can never have too many snowmen!
And, today, being a "snowy" day was just perfect to
finish this sweet little 12-inch square quilt.

The patterns is from "Buttermilk Basin" and
is the January BOM.

This was a kit I purchased from my local quilt
shop and uses many of the same fabrics in
this this wall quilt I posted about in November.

Each time I walk past them, a smile comes to my
face.  They just make me HAPPY!

And By the way, did I mention that
I LOVE SNOWMEN!

Deena's Baptism

I love being with family and celebrating special
occasions and today was one of those times.  My
nephews eight year old daughter, Deena, was
baptized by her father.   She is such a sweet little
girl.

Was a little concerned when I awoke to snow
this morning as we had to drive to Lehi and be
there by 9:00 a.m.  So grateful my SIL was
driving as the freeway was not in the best
condition.  But, we did make it down and
back safely.

After the baptism at the Stake Center, we all
went back to David and Jenna's for brunch.
Because turning eight is such a special time,
Deena was pampered with many gifts to
help remind her of this important step she
has taken---being baptized a member of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

My daughter and I wanted to do something a
little different for her, so we went on Pinterest
and looked up "lds baptismal gifts" and found
these two ideas:

We used a cute white decorated sack to hold
the candy.

The other gift was a "baptismal pillowcase" (which

I made for her) with a poem:

She loved the candy and the pillowcase!

While visiting with family and taking pictures

after the baptism, I was able to get a picture of just

my sister and me.  We haven't had one taken of

just the two of us for a few years, so I was very

happy to get this one:

I am so blessed to have her as my sister and

dear, dear friend.  Her health has not been the

best the last couple of years, so I am very

grateful she is still here and for that matter

that I am too.

Going, Going, Gone!

This is what I have been doing the last few days:

It has not been easy getting rid of magazines, books
and patterns that I have held onto for many, many
years.  I'm embarrassed to mention how old some of
them are!

But, I've realized that many of the projects I once
liked are out-dated and that my interests have changed.
And, because of my age, I may never get everything
done and it's time to be a little more selective in
what I keep and do.

Decided that if I hadn't referred to them in the last
two years, they were out of here.  Sadly, I couldn't
even remember what was in most of the magazines
that I had kept unless I'd made a notation on the
front cover.

For example I no longer enjoy counted cross stitch
so books, patterns, pamphlets and projects are going
to a friend's daughter.  Folk art and tole painting
books have also disappeared from the shelves as I
no longer cut and paint my own wood as I did when I
had my business.

I do not think I am going to be making large quilts
until I assemble and complete all the blocks I've
made from taking classes at local quilt shops so many
quilt magazines have been packed up.


So far I have emptied six packed magazine holders:

Still have more to do, but I now have space in my
cupboard for current projects and fabrics which
will help eliminate some of the clutter in my sewing
room.

These are not organized yet, but at least they are no
longer in plastic bags sitting around for me to stumble
over!

It feels good to have made a decision to clean out
my cupboard and really hasn't been as hard as I
thought it would be.  Perhaps now I won't feel so
guilty about not completing all those projects I had
saved the books and magazines for as they won't be
staring me in the face each time I open the cupboard
doors.

Merry Christmas!

 



















To each of you who has touched my life
through the wonderful world of blogging,
I wish you a very Merry Christmas.
May the New Year be filled with bounteous
blessings for you and your loved ones.

May I share with you a special message
that can be found here:

 Merry Christmas

Nola

It's a Marshmallow World

It really is a marshmallow world outside.  Everything
is covered with white fluffy snow and is picture-card
perfect.

I love it when the tree limbs and branches are
decked out in all their "white" finery.

Yesterday morning we woke up to freezing rain which
later turned to snow throughout the day and into the
evening.  It was not fun going to work.  Thankfully
I only had to drive one mile.  My street finally got
plowed in the early evening.

Today we are getting a short break and the sun is
shining, but we are in for another round this
evening into tomorrow.  Am so grateful my son got
the snow blower working and for the young men in
our ward who came in the late afternoon to shovel
the walks and driveway once again.

Guess I best take care of these little ones.  Looks
like their feeder is almost empty -- again! 

They keep me hopping!  It is very hard to get
a picture of them.  Felt lucky to capture these
few.  It has been fun to see the different birds.
We even had a woodpecker earlier.  Wasn't
able to get a good look, but I think it was one.
They are very shy about having their picture
taken, but not a bit shy about eating me out of
house and home and spreading their seeds on
the snow.  But, I love watching them out my
window.

Now I Can Share

Received word today that  my friend, Karen,
received her Christmas gift and has opened it.
So, now I can share what I sent to her:

A journal cover stitched with her initial using
Michelle's "Stitcher's Alphabet".  (journal
included)  Michelle was kind enough to include
a small free pattern which I made into a bookmark.

I also tried my hand at crocheting a spool pin
doily. Have fallen in love with these little
doilies and think they are fun to make.

This little snowman was also a freebie from
Michelle and has also been received by
another friend, so I can now share it. 

Hopefully, I'll be able to share a few more gifts
that have kept me busy over the past few weeks
as they are given to friends and family

Outside My Window!

As I was walking into my bedroom a few minutes
ago, I happened to notice the reflection from my
window.  Knowing that the sun was setting and
we were probably in for another gorgeous winter
sunset, I hurried to the window.  Oh my goodness!
The sky was on fire and the colors were so
vibrant!

Of course, my camera was not handy so I had to
run and grab it.  In just the few seconds it took to
find it, the colors in the sky had already began to
change.  Why is it sunsets change so quickly?

But, I was able to snap a quick picture. This doesn't
do it justice.  It was really almost a fire engine red
not orange and yellow, but at least you get the
idea.

As I stood there basking in this beautiful scene, I
suddenly felt such a longing for my Mother.  How
fun it used to be when one of us would notice the
sunset and quickly call the other on the phone
and say, "Hurry, look out your window."  Often we
would "ooh" and "aah" with one another, but more
often than not, we would just be quiet, even hang
up the phone and call back after the sunset had
faded.  How I miss those special times.  How
grateful I am for sweet, tender memories and beautiful
sunsets.