Sharing my snow day with you...

This is what I awoke to this morning, and as the day progressed it got worse... Misserable out there, and driving conditions not at all good... Recommendations were for people to stay home...

But by 2pm the snowing & blowing finally stopped...

This is yesterday's back walkway...

 Here with part of today's dumping,,,

 ...and here after shoveling. 

The snow was 8" to 10" deep... 

Good thing it was fairly light!

Here is the front walk...

 So, now you understand when I leave a comment on your snow posts, mentioning I am tired of all this snow!?! LOL! 8-)

Spring can't come too soon for me! 

Back to stitching!

Myra

PS Edit: DH, DS, Mr&MrsRose went to Mr&MrsFarmer's down south, to refinish their hardwood floors, & to do some skiing & snowboarding for the week. Enjoying the piece & quiet, but don't like dealing with the snow. I have about 3-4 more days to do whatever I want, & get things done in the sewing room.

Thursday's doings...

 This morning I woke to see 

the beauty of frosty trees... 

 I love the look... 

 Doesn't last long before it gets 

blown off the branches...

  Then I spent the morning questioning which background color I would go with, for final row for the Row Robin... It was not an easy choice, but it is now done... and I am still questioning it...

Here is a distorted peek of the row I made today... It is to be 6"x48" finished. I am so looking forward to the Row Robin retreat in 2 weeks! We will be revealing all nine projects, and will find out who's is who's, and be surprized at all the creativity that has gone into them... 8-)

 I have a show & tell for you from my CCC Gathering last night! This is As' Valentine fun... I believe it is a table topper... Looking great A!!! 8-)

 We were to have a WB gathering today, but it was canceled, again, for different reasons...

We'll get together yet this year!!!

Tomorrow I'll be busy at the sewing machine again!
One of the UFOs or PhDs on my "To Do" list...
OH! And possibly vacuum... Yuck!

Hope your machines are purrrrrring
away in your sewing rooms...

Happy stitchings!

Myra

Christmas Projects...

At the beginning of the year I joined Narelle's "1 Xmas Item a Month" play-along/challenge, where participants post something  you've created, on the 25th of each month, the upcoming Christmas 2011, be it a Christmasy item, or gift...

So here is my item...

 I started this with the intention of it being a gift this past Christmas, but I got hung up with all my PhD Challenge fun. As a matter of fact, I had 2 of these on the go for this past Christmas... 

I shall finish #2 next month...

This next photos shows the Holly I quilted in...

Click on photo for a bigger photo...

This is the fabric I used on the back 

of the table-topper...

So this is another item scratched off my

January "To Do" list on the right! Woohoo! 8-)

Here it is with "the" surviving frostbitten 

Poinsettia Plant from last Christmas...

 ...and since I am going on bout a Christmas project, I'll show you the Fat Quarters that DD1(MrsFarmer) gave me at Christmas...

 Thanks MrsFarmer!!! 8-)

I will put it to good use at some point...

Hope you are all having a great week!

Happy stitchings!

Myra

Busy with Brigitte the new quilter!

This is a photo of a baby panel that Bridget made into a quilt since the last time I saw her, before Christmas. She did the stitch, turn inside out thing on this one, then machine quilted it. 

 Done, gifted, gone... Nice job Brigitte! 8-)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Brigitte says,  

"It turned out OK considering my lack of experience and the baby mama was very happy. Baby Jeremiah is 2 months old and I held the quilt up to him and he became very interested in all the bright colours. That was project # 3 – all are fully finished! Now on to project # 4, a baby quilt for my cousin’s baby to be, in Holland, who is due in May. This one I am hand stitching the centre design of Noah’s Ark and I’ll machine stitch the straight lines around the outside. So far no PhD’s in quilting, but I won’t confess how many I have in cross-stitching.

 Happy sewing everyone!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, today B wanted to learn how to hand-quilt, and what better way to learn, but on another baby panel! We needed a few things, so off to the store to buy a hoop, proper thimble, and quilting thread....

I walked B through sandwiching & basting...
Spoon and all... 8-)

 Then we rolled over the backing and pinned in place so that the raw edges don't get all ratty...

Then it was time to get down to the task of hand-quilting... B didn't feel comfortable with the thimble, or the rocking method, so she went about it in her own way, and did really well...

 We all know that hand-quilting is a learn as you go with regards to stitch lengths... If you look closely, you can see she's done the elephants already...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While Brigitte was working on the above, I was hand-quilting on my "Many Thanks" PhD. My very first quilt endeavor from 10 years ago...
Yup! Still not done!!!
But it will hopefully be by the end of June!!!

 You can see the individual blocks on this quilt, on 6 or so posts, by clicking here...

And... because a friend had asked me to email her the link, to the tutorial I used for making my iron cover (thanks Linda_J), I thought I'd
lead you all to the link also...

 If you go to this post, towards the end, you will see my pattern cut out for it... It is handy for traveling home from a "quilt day" when the iron is hot!!!

If you are a tea sipper,
this is a wonderful tasting tea!!! 

 Mmmmmm....

Hope you are all having a great weekend friends!

Happy stitchings!

Myra

I'm back from my mini escape...

 We went to Seven Clans hotel and casino just outside of Thief River Falls, 

in Minnesota. It is a massive/impressive structure to drive 

upon in the middle of nowhere...

  The front lobby is massive, and has a great feeling of home comfort...

Love, love, love the furniture!!!

 They have a big water park there, sure to please many!!

Hot-tub (not in photo) is to the left, complete with rock wall/waterfall...

Relaxing... and yes Wendy, I did go in it for about 20 minutes...

Turning the corner from the elevator was this impressive hallway to 

our room. Love the rustic feel of this place!!! 

 Ted, Lori, you would be wowed by things there!!! 

 I was simply shocked at the size of the room!!! It must have been 

at least 18'x 30', and that doesn't include the bathroom in there... 

You can see the beds had log headboards too...

 Patio doors to a balcony, gas fireplace with large TV above, fridge, microwave... Definitely a home away from home feel... 8-)

I really enjoyed my stay at this place! The employees are very friendly, and helpful, and I even did some gambling, which I do maybe once every 2 years, and came out ahead... a bit... 8-) 

Cous B and I went to Grand Forks for an afternoon to do some shopping too... Here are some goodies I bought... Four new bath towels, Gojo for the boys, and I had always wanted to try a hand blender... 

 It will be good to use for my Cauliflower Soup, so that I don't have to transfer soup to my big blender, and then back to the pot...

 Here are my quilt goodies... 

A spool rack (my spools added), a new self healing cutting mat 24'x36', and if you click on the photo you should be able to see the other items... 

 The magazine on top is the one that blogging friend Pat and friend have published creations in... 8-)

I hope you've all been having a wonderful and productive week!

Now I have to get back at it... "It" being my January "To Do" list...

Happy stitchings!

Myra

Get'er done! ...?... Get'er done! Get'er done!  Get'er done!!! ...?... get'er done... ... I seem to be missing my mojo... again! 8-(

Spending too much time being unproductive...

I've been having my moments, but not enough to be impressed with myself...

This is not good... Nope! Not good at all... 

I think I'm still overwhelmed from the Festive Season, from family company 

still being here (oh just left - safe travels), and by my own list of "to dos"... 

It could be the time of year too, and feeling snowed in...

It is high time for an escape to "below the border" for my cousin and me... 

We do that at least twice a year, and last year we didn't go at all, what, 

with all that was going on around here for us, and a bad year for her... 

So... that may be what I need to perk me up... Yup!!! I think so!

COUSIN.... Lets get out of here!!!!

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 A phone call and a couple of emails later, and we are set to go!!! 

We have to wait a week, but we are booked to go!! Thief River Falls...

(Anyone know if there is a quilt shop there?)

I've never been there, but Cousin has! We usually go to Grand Forks and 

Fargo to "shop till we drop", but neither of us has a need to shop this time...

I am looking forward to a change from "my normal"... 8-)

Well, I guess I should go and get something done... away from the comp today!!!

Hope you are all having a good day!!!

Myra

Tabs...?

Can anyone tell me how to add more tabs to my blog... besides my "home" tab?
Can't figure it out... 8-(
Myra 

Edit: Looks like I am on my way to figuring it out now... Whoopee!!! 8-)

A Sunday Mini Retreat...

 Twenty-two of our CCC group had a wonderful day together stitching, and then a few of us went out for supper afterward... Yum!

We've also lined up a few more dates for such... 8-)

I won this great grocery tote too! 8-)

There were lots of great door prizes!!!
Thanks to all the gals that organized the day for us!! 8-)

 I managed to only get my January BOM blocks done. 

One for me and one for the group draw... 8-)
See the BOM sample here...

I had plans to work on my Saturday Sampler project, 

but time did not allow it... I slept in and was late getting there, 

so, it was my own fault, of course... 8-(

Gotta get back to cleaning up & organizing my sewing room!

Happy stitchings friends!

Myra

Welcome to my sewing room...

Grab yourself a cup of coffee and have a visit with me... 8-)

I warn you, tis a mess right now... Time to do a clean up!

This was "take 7"!!! I got tongue-tied on the others, and "take 1" caught a glimpse of the DD in the bathroom...OOPS! Nope! Can't use that one!!! LOL! It was Dora's fault as she pushed the door all the way open to do her morning greetings... 

Of course I had to mention that!!! Too funny!!! 8-)

I challenge YOU to do a short video of your sewing room...
...in whatever state it is in!!! LOL! 8-)

Have a great weekend everyone!

Myra

A blustery cold day up here...3pm...Sun tried...

 If tomorrow is anything like today was with the weather,
it will be a good day to stay in and sort/organize my fabrics,
since I have no plans to be away anyway...
Sunday's plans are to attend a day retreat with the gals!
Hoping to sew up a storm!!! 8-)

Happy stitchings!
Myra

CCC Night...

 It was our CCC group's first gathering of 2011 last night!

We handed in our December BOMs (12" finished) for the draw, 

and lucky lady Dl won the lot!!! 

 Still a few blocks to come in yet, so it will be a nice size quilt... 

Dl will put the quilt together and donate it to the Christmas Cheer Board. Her work supports 2 families every year at Christmas...

This is January's BOM that Vf put together as a sample...
  Reds/Oranges/Pinks with black or dark grays...

These color choices should prove to be quite stunning... 

We shall see next month! 8-)

And look what we have here!!

Friend Yn won this wonderful table-topper from Marlene over at Spipweske Quilts, during her last giveaway!

Yn brought it to our gathering last night to show...
Thanks for sharing Yn! 8-)

When I got home last night with the last Row Robin Project box I am to work on, I was simply WOWed as I put the rows up on my display wall... It will take some thinking, and sorting to come up with a row for this one!!

Time to move onto the sewing machine!!!

Happy stitchings!
Myra

CR Show & Tell, & Party Pup Ruby...

This is the only Show & Tell we had last night...

besides lots of laughs... 8-)

 These place-mats were made with Gk's left over cuttings from a quilt top she made a little while back. Waste not, want not! 8-)

We all liked them!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ruby's Christmas party...

"Is anyone looking?"

"Oooo I love beer!

DS says, "You've had enough Ruby!"

"Yup! It was enough!"

 Photos were a set up, by DS, no harm done to my fur-baby... 8-)

 Off to do some more stitchings....
CCC quilt group gathering tonight! First gathering of 2011, and I am looking forward to seeing everyone as I've missed the last 2 gatherings of 2010...

Now, get off your comp and get productive! 8-)
Myra

Progress in the sewing room!!! Right On!!!

BOM DONE?
Check!!! 8-)

Glad I got my block ready at the beginning of December. Good thing too, as it was one less thing

for me to do now...

Row for RRP DONE?
Check!!!

All ready for one more trade off before the big reveal. Too bad I still can't show you any of this group project yet... You don't have too much longer to wait though, as we will be returning the boxes to their rightful owners on the February 11th (a mini retreat weekend for 10)...

Woohoo I'm I looking forward to that time away!!!
Even it we have to do our own food prep... 8-)

Going to my Country Rose quilt group for the first time in 2011 tonight!!! Maybe I will have some show & tell for you later....

I will be working on my "1 Christmas item a month", which you've see already as it was to have been done for Christmas 2010...

Hey! It will count!!! lol! 8-)

Tomorrow it is on to one of my other January list items...

Happy stitchings!

Myra

PhD and MY January Commitments...

PhD Challenge

Well, my invite that went out (on Dec 1st 2010) to
other quilters around the world, to join me in
my PhD Challenge has created a
wonderful monster!!!
A PhD Challenge Blog of 70 eager quilters wanting to get over 300 PhD monkeys off their backs...
This will be a fun and inspirational blog to watch, and a great way to get to know more wonderful quilters...
Creating a few new bloggers to boot!!! 8-)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now, how much sewing have I done this far into 2011?
NONE!!! 8-(

We are still doing Season's Celebrations with family, but after today, I'll tell them to leave me alone, and will hide in my sewing room!!!
I've got commitments you know!!! lol! 8-)
I've decided that I will make a post on the first of each month of my commitments, and then list them in my sidebar (now there's a first! I'm not really a list maker), and see how this nags severs me in reaching my goals this year...

Six January Commitments

1.) do my row for my group's Row Robin Project - due Jan 5th

2.) CCC BOM - due Jan 5th - done

Finish up my 2 commitments for Finn's NYE UFO Challenge...

3.) finish Hollyhock wall-quilt (very little to do yet)

4.) finish putting together my my Saturday Sampler quilt top

Then onto working.....

5.) on one or two of my PhDs

I joined in on Narelle's "One Christmas Item a Month" activity!!!

6.) one Christmas item (that I didn't get done) - due Jan 25th

Wish me luck!!
I'm going to need it!!!
Myra

♥♥ Happiest Penguin Ever ,♥♥

Too cute, just had to share...
First time I figured out how to put a YouTube Video on here... 8-)

Is this a good thing? Not sure? hmmmm...?
Was just going to link it, but clicked on something, and here it is!!! 8-)
Enjoy!

 Wishing you all the best year ever, 

complete with good health, 

happiness, and prosperity!!!

 I look forward to spending 

another year with you! 8-)

Cheers! 

Myra