We have a winner.....

First of all I want to thank each and everyone of you that visited my blog....left a comment....blogged about my giveaway and/or became a follower. The community in blogland is just unbelievable. It never ceases to amaze me to keep finding more and more blogs with ideas and great projects and friendly people! I thought I might get, maybe, 50 comments. 164 was overwhelming......thank you again.

I have a winner for my 1 year blogiversary.......it is Gran from Knot-yEmbroidery Lady. Congratulations Gran and I will be mailing your goodies sometime this week.
Last night I made a delicious lasagna.....spinach and prosciutto. I wish I could remember what blog I saw this on....sorry if you are reading this.....but you can find the recipe here. She said it was good and it definitely was. Have never cooked with prosciutto, an Italian type bacon (a little salty) but it paired well with the spinach.

Of course this is what my stove looked like after I tryed lifting the first piece out and the lasagna noodle wasn't cut through completely and it flipped out......grrrrr

It is quite filling, so we have leftovers.....I like leftovers though.....they usually taste better the second day anyway.

It is sunny here today, yeah.....but bitter. 10 degrees F. Have a good Sunday (or Monday) everyone!

One Year Giveaway

Today marks my first year blogiversary! I wrote my first little post hoping someone might read it and leave a comment. Thanks to a couple of friends that had blogs already, they helped spread the word. I have met a lot of great gals from all over the world and love hearing about their stories and accomplishments. I get so inspired daily by so many talented crafters/quilters that share their ideas with all of us. I hope that something I have made or suggested might have helped or inspired somebody also. So to share a little in honor of my year of fun, I am giving the following away to celebrate. A darling pattern from the Acorn Quilt & Gift Company, Betsy's Closet....several half yard pieces of the cute fabric, Doll Dresses.....a charm pack of Spring Magic by April Cornell for Moda.....and a 5 1/2 inch ruler (one of those things I bought and had already, yes, you have done the same thing). This all will help us think Spring! Just leave a comment for one entry. If you want a second entry you can blog about it and link back here....that is up to you. Please leave a second comment if you do that. I will draw the winner in one week.....sometime next Sunday, January 31st......yikes, one month will be gone in 2010!! Thank you everyone for your friendship.


On a side note, we noticed 5 or 6 robins in our backyard today.....first time I have seen them this early. I wanted to tell them that we have A LOT of cold and snow yet to come and they better head south again. The picture is through our dining room window and isn't the greatest, but you can see that is a Mr. Robin!

Fun Wreath

I saw this really great looking wreath done by Rachel over at p.s. i quilt. She has a tutorial for it on her website....actually it takes you to the Moda Bakeshop for the tute. It looked easy...I just had to get a wire frame....I had a honey bun, which makes it even quicker. This is what is left of my honey bun and I also used an additional amount of the red polka fabric.

I wanted more red in it because of Valentine's Day approaching and also because I seem to be obsessed with the color red lately! So here is my finish....using a honey bun of Sweet by Urban Chiks for Moda. This was fun and good hand work for watching TV.

Believe this??

I thought this was such a hoot when I read it over at Heidi's blog, I asked her if I could share it with my blog readers. Below is a picture of a 1949 Singer....it will give you an idea of what the ladies were working with.


~~~ Advice from a 1949 Singer Sewing Manual ~~~

Prepare yourself mentally for sewing. Think about what you are going to do. Never approach sewing with a sigh or lackadaisically. Good results are difficult when indifference predominates.

Never try to sew with a sink full of dirty dishes or beds unmade. When there are urgent housekeeping chores, do these first so your mind is free to enjoy your sewing.

When you sew, make yourself as attractive as possible. Put on a clean dress. Keep a little bag full of French chalk near your sewing machine to dust your fingers at intervals. Have your hair in order, powder and lipstick put on.

If your are constantly fearful that a visitor will drop in or your husband will come home and you will not look neatly put together, you will not enjoy your sewing as you should.

Gotta love the "good old days"!!! I still can't figure out why the chalk for your fingers....anyone know??

Movie Day

When it comes to going to the movies, I am pretty certain of the kind of flick I want to see. My favorites are comedies and/or romantic comedies. Other favorites are period dramas like what you can see on PBS and Masterpiece Theatre. I like action too, but not the blood and violence that some of these titles come with. Today was an exception....this is what I wore for 2 1/2 hours this afternoon.

My husband had seen this movie once with one of our grandchildren and raved about it. I decided that maybe I would give it a chance when I read a statement saying something about having to go light years away to find peace. Well, let me tell you, I loved this movie and highly recommend it.....didn't want it to end and also couldn't stop shedding tears. Well worth the admission price!

Do they count as finishes...;o)

I guess this was a finish "of a block". This is Goose Creek and was the pattern for our Quilt Guild meeting last Wednesday. We were supposed to make it scrappy and I used a charm pack, Blessings, from Moda. I like the way it turned out. Of course I didn't win the blocks again!!

This free BOM was stitched at the begininning of 2009, but never finished....it is now and hanging for Jan. 2010.

Don't worry, I'm not in any group that counts finishes, so these are just finishes for me! ;o)

Friday Night Sew-in

Last night I joined Heidi for the Friday Night Sew-in that attracted almost 150 of us sewers/crafters. I can't wait to visit the sites today to find out what everyone did. I decided to work with a couple of turnovers I got over the holidays....they are a Christmas pack by Mary Engelbreit. I can't remember the line, but it is very bright and not necessarily Christmasy. It may become a quilt for one of the granddaughters!! I sorted........

Then I chain stitched...........

I pressed and pressed.....love that little iron from Sears....

Squared up all the blocks to 5 1/2 inches...........

Then I started arranging on my design wall (flannel backed tablecloth pinned to the wall in the hallway).......I know I will change some of the blocks as I add more. I have not worked with turnovers before and actually very little half square triangles....I hate the bias side. But this was easy and I didn't have any real problem so it made my evening of sewing enjoyable!

I didn't have any snacks while I was sewing because we had eaten a great meal out earlier and I was very full! Something to drink, my trusty beagle, Barney at my feet and the TV playing reruns of Project Runway in the background. I really love that show....am glad a new season just started. And this is how the night ended........

A day outing......

Didn't know that I was in the middle of a bite when hubby took this picture. We went into Cleveland today to eat at our favorite "corned beef sandwich" restaurant, Slymans. My hubby discovered this place when he was working in the Cleveland area and had many a take-out from it. This sandwich is the biggest and best I have ever had. That is just half of it on my plate. They even give you 2 extra halves of rye bread to make the sandwich more to "mouth size". Needless to say, this is supper also. Wonderful with mustard and just a tad of horseradish!

We then took a ride and saw the frozen over Lake Erie at Edgewater Park.

Then we went down memory lane and rode past the houses we lived in years ago. This one was our first house as newlyweds....well, we rented the top.

We moved into the next one when I was pregnant with our first born.....our landlady from the first house didn't accept children. We lived on the first floor in this one.

When we were building our home 30+ years ago, we rented from hubby's brother on the first floor of this next home. It was a 2 family then and we lived on the first floor. Since we saw it last, it has been converted into a single family home. It is gorgeous from the outside and I would just love to see what it looks like on the inside. Times do change! All of these homes were in the Cleveland area before we moved "out to the country"! A fun day, just the two of us.

Stephanie is sponsoring a cool string quilt challenge. No pressure, swapping or buying anything. (well, maybe backing fabric or batting). She even created an easy, peasy tutorial for all of us challenged quilters. Head on over and sign up with the rest of us and have fun!

On a side note, NE Ohio is getting lots and lots of snow and now some bitter temperatures also...love that Lake Erie affect snow band....NOT!

Warm inside....snowing a LOT outside.

A man and his dog on a frigid and snowy January night.

I think mine might be a little different, but I got one too!! Thanks Target!

A New Year....and some rearranging!

These are some pictures of my small sewing room. It got a little overwhelming during holiday sewing.

I need to really sort.....a LOT!

My Viking needs to go in to the "machine doctor" for a good cleaning....Mia's machine also.

Some fabric sorted to start the next project. And below is a picture I have taped up on my cutting table of the first mini quilt Mia and I made together with her on my lap. Pre-cut squares sewn together for a little doll quilt!

Happy New Year

To all of my dear friends in blogland (and close at hand also) I wish a happy and healthy 2010! To those of you in the New Year already, hope you had a good Eve! For the rest of us, have a safe and fun New Year's Eve.....see you next year for lots of quilty and crafty ideas to share and have fun with!

Virtual Sew-In

Heidi is having a Sew In over at her blog on Friday, January 15th. A good time to work on those UFO's and to get motivated for 2010! Fun times in the winter!

Kids and Sewing

My granddaughter, Mia, loves to sew and was treated to a 3 day school from Grandma (me) this week at our local quilt shop, Little Red Quilt House. It ran for 3 hours each day....just enough time to enjoy sewing before you get "antsy"! She is starting to work on her tote bag in the above picture and the picture below is what she finished first, Maggie by Lazy Girl Designs.

Here is Mia running her bias tape straps through the top casing. First time she has put anything through a casing with a safety pin....got a little frustrated at the seams...don't we all!

I love it Grandma!

This group of girls was a lot of fun....Mia has taken classes with the 2 girls on either side of her before, but the other two, sisters, were new to her and they all became fast friends. Our future quilters/sewers....how wonderful!

More classes planned for times they are off school.....it will help the winter blahs!!

Don't you just love the big, fluffy slippers?

A Great Christmas

We had a really great Christmas at dd Laura's house. Picture above is 7 of our 9 grandkids with Grandma and Grandpa. The other 2 boys live in OKC and it wasn't our year for them to be with us at Christmas. Everyone is getting so big....even little Oliver! We had a great meal that was supposed to include turkey and ham. Well, they thought the refrigerator was defrosting the "bird" for a week, but when sil took it out, it was still VERY much frozen. So today we are going back to enjoy that same "bird" which will be deep fried!! Yummo!
Below are pictures of daughters with their crocheted dishcloths from me! I have quite a few of those.....I was on a roll the last few months!

Notice Ralphie's mom on the TV in background.....love that movie!

Merry Christmas

My first year of blogging has been an amazing ride. I have learned so much and acquired so many ideas from so many of you near and far. I consider myself friends with people from all over the world.
I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas. In Australia it is after 8:00 A.M. on Christmas and you are celebrating already....especially if you have young children!
I hope everyone has a fun day whether you are alone and sewing and watching old movies or you are with lots of family....a Blessed day to all.
Peace and Hugs, Sandy

ps. I finished this table topper1/2 hour ago from Julie's great tutorial....so easy and some of the family will get theirs AFTER Christmas! ;o)

Friends

Every year at Christmas time 10 of us from the "old neighborhood" get together for a dinner out and a lot of talking and catching up. (4 of us still live in that neighborhood) This year it was decided to go to Cheryl and Bill's for dinner in....bring a dish to share and lots of other goodies provided by them. First let me introduce their dog, Hana, a wire-haired dachshund. She is the sweetest 12 lbs of fur and cuteness. Having an animal or small child around can keep conversation going for hours!

They have a beautiful home complete with 7 decorated trees. Here are 4 of them in rooms that I felt comfortable "sneeking" into. The pictures don't show how pretty the lights are....wish there was a way to capture that. Maybe a better camera??

Wrapping presents, sewing and going to see Trans Siberian Orchestra this evening are on the agenda for today. More on the concert, which is a gift from our son and his family, in another post.

Love Delivered

I was asked by Tudy, the mother of Terry, to help deliver the first finished quilt to her from the generosity of wonderful quilters in blogland. This great endeavor was organized by Laurie and we thank her very much. It looked like this when the box was opened.

Emily, her daughter, was right there by Mom's side. This is the embroidered label on the back of the quilt.

What a wonderful quilt this is.....gorgeous blocks and equally gorgeous quilting. Terry with her husband, John.

This is the extent of my tree this year. It is only about 4 feet tall and I have it on a small stool. I really love it and have a few of my favorite ornaments decorating it. Wish the light showed up better....they are soft and pretty!