Christmas & Chickens

This is the second year we have had our ladder Christmas tree with our Christmas Village pieces.  And once again I am thrilled with how it looks and the joy it brings us.  Last year I painted the ladder and Eric placed all of the pieces.  This year Eric did it all and did a wonderful job.  It was fun seeing how the pieces got moved and moved again until he was satisfied.

 And this week I finally felt good enough to put another quilt on the frame.  This one was, again, started over two years ago and fell by the wayside when I was sidelined by illness.  Because I now have a lot of back pain it takes me longer to get things done.  So I got the quilt loaded one day and quilted two rows the next day.  I would be over there quilting now but I had a doctor's appointment this morning and after sitting in the waiting room chairs my back is really acting up so I will get back to it tomorrow.

 For some reason I have become obsessed with cooking appliances.  I really have always enjoyed walking through cooking stores but recently I have wanted to have several of the things I have been seeing.  One of these things has been good cutting boards.  I don't use the stove very often so I bought this one that fits over the top of the glass cooktop.  It is removable when the top is needed and has legs, that we haven't put on yet, so it does not sit directly on the top.  I figured it would protect the glass and keep all the crud from building up on the surface.  Since I took this picture I have begun oiling it and it looks beautiful.

Our neighbor has chickens.  But he is currently living about 100 miles away, taking care of a family member.  His son has been coming daily to care for the chickens but recently they decided to let the chickens out of their pen.  And to our delight they found their way to our yard.  We used to have his chickens visit daily but it has been a while.  As soon as we saw them we ran out to buy chicken feed: enticing them to return as often as they like.  Aren't they beautiful?

I am currently pursuing a pain management implant for my back pain (see this post).  There are several hoops I have to jump through and so far I have done three.  It is the wait between hoops that I really hate.  Why can't these medical professionals communicate with each other more rapidly?

Linking with Patchwork Times.

Family, Nature, and Easy Street

Did you see the new header picture?  If not, it is time to look at it and then you can read that this is our youngest son (44yo young) and his almost 2 month old daughter, Elsa.  Think he is a proud Papa?  You bet he is.  And we are so enjoying seeing him with his new love.




And his twin sister didn’t want to be left out so she, too, has a new baby.  This is her gift to herself for becoming an RN and getting a new job.  Even if you can’t see it too well, her smile is every bit as big as her brother’s. 









Not to be outdone, Nature is having babies, too.  Even though the temps have been near freezing at night, our trees and bushes are sprouting new leaves.  I just hope they are hardy.









We live in the country but don’t have chickens.  Well, we don’t own chickens.  These are some of the neighbors chickens that visit every day to find goodies under the leaves.  There are about 15 of them, about half hens and half roosters.  They are fun to watch and there is crowing going on all day.  And aren’t they beautiful?  We love having them around and the dogs love chasing them.  They don’t want to catch them, and aren’t allowed, but they do love to watch them run and fly.





And look how close to being done I am!  I thought I might have been done yesterday but between phone calls, lunch out with DH and then assisting our daughter with her car buying, I wasn’t even able to get into the studio.  So this afternoon, after housekeeping duties, I plan to get back in there and get some more quilted.  I should be done by the end of the week. 






When I left the studio Tuesday evening I saw the beauty of the quilt in the shadows.  I really love how my quilts look different with sun, shadows, and especially in the early morning light when I wake up under them.  I am really looking forward to waking up under this one. 




And now it is time to get the dishes in the dishwasher, walk the dogs, and feed the birds.  Then lunch and it will be STUDIO TIME!!

The Weeks Half Over

What a fun week I have been having.

This month’s Funky Chicken is bright and cheery.  The only sad part is that there is only one more chicken to come.









And here is November’s teapot.  How classy, huh?  These are pretty easy to do and afford a great canvas to use some really great and different fabrics.







I have been quilting like crazy.

But I must say that quilting a panel is not as easy as doing a panto.

















I am trying to make the quilting pretty even on the whole quilt so I am filling in all the open spaces.






That said, look where I am!  Santa is pretty much done: still have the gifts to do and then it is just blocks and the last borders.  Whoopee!! 








Yesterday I made the executive decision that this quilt does not need another border.  It is 48 x 65 which is just the right size.  So I spent this afternoon putting the backing together  and we are now ready for the frame, when it is vacated.








In between these quilting sessions I got to have lunch with my favorite daughter (I only have one).  We are both celebrating BIRTHDAY MONTH so we had a really good time.  And we made plans to do some Christmas shopping next week, on her birthday: what fun will that be?!?








Like Judy L., I have a chicken picture, real chickens.  These chickens really live next door but it seems we have better bugs than they do.  So every day this little troupe comes through the trees, scratches around, crows a lot, and then goes home.  Of course they return, sometimes several times a day.  The puppies like to chase them but since we keep them on leashes, they can’t catch them.  I don’t think they want to catch them, they just like the chase.

Today I did something I have never done: I ordered Christmas gifts from a catalog.  I usually don’t get any but this year two came and there were a couple of “just right” items in them.  So I jumped on the computer and ordered.  How easy was that?

Well, now it is time for me to start getting ready for bed.  I need all the rest I can get so I can finish up that Christmas quilt and move on.  I am having so much fun!!!!!

My Mother

My mother really likes shoes. When I was a teenager, she, with her size 4 foot, could buy sample shoes for $1 a pair: for $20 she would get 20 pair of shoes and for a similar $20 I would get 2. For the last several years she has been collecting the little ceramic shoes, and other shoe stuff like a shoe chair, lamp, etc. So, in 2003 I made her a “shoe quilt.” Now, you know how much work it takes to make a quilt, especially when you are a beginner. But I was both proud of the idea and how this one turned out.

So a couple of weeks ago I was talking with my mother and mentioned this quilt. She said she didn’t remember a “shoe quilt” but that I had made some towels with shoe embroidery on them. So this week I found the picture of the shoe quilt and emailed it to her. Would you believe that she said she has no memory of the quilt? So I guess it wasn’t a very impressive quilt, was it?

The other quilt I made her was this one (picture taken before the blocks and sashing was sewn together) :

She also collects all things chicken (note the backing on the shoe quilt). I chose the sashing colors to allow the quilt to fit in either her kitchen or living room. What I tell her is that I make utility quilts that are made to be used but she saves them hoping to be able to hang them: I don’t think they ever see the light of day. But my philosophy is that once something is given as a gift it is the recipient’s to use or not use, as she pleases.

I have been working on a gift quilt all week. I am going to do as much as I can today and then I am going to give myself permission to do something else for a while. I have a spring quilt top I finished four years ago that I really want to quilt so tomorrow it is going on the frame. And for top making, I still have some work to do on my black and white challenge quilt. I would like to get that done next week. These two quilts are for me, I think, and will look good in my room as a reminder that these spring showers (thunder and tornado warnings this morning) will be bringing flowers (I do have at least one bud on my rose bushes). Have a great day!