Missing persons.....

The police have their missing persons but then, so do I!  lol  If you noticed, I am missing a few "ladies" from my ladies series.  Way back in the middle of October I was commissioned to do these sweet gals.  The first one, #24 (Sharon from Australia) asked me to do her, (it was to be a Christmas gift from her husband) and she promised not to open it before Christmas.  Considering the mail time between Wisconsin and Australia, it wasn't much of a wait because I think it took over 4 weeks just to get to her.  As always, I will show the drawing, the close-up of her pretty eyes, and then the quilt.  

And here is the photo of Sharon that she sent for me to work from:

Next, we have the lovely, Robin who is lady #27.  She also was a Christmas gift and was commissioned by her generous sister, Melinda.







She also was kind enough to allow me to use the original photo so that you could see the resemblance:

So there you have it......2 more beautiful ladies added to the growing list.  I do have two more to show you next time....a wonderful mother and daughter duo, numbers 28 and 29, again from Australia.  Stay tuned........

I am not happy!!!

Do you remember this:



And then remember that I made a slew of them for friends:



Well, how do you think I felt today when a friend mailed me a link to a DIY project that I NEVER approved:

http://www.whatsnewtablet.com/DIYquilts/2012/12/13/happy-winter/

They even used the name I gave it!  And then, on top of that........look how many people posted it on their pinterest as being by DIY:

http://pinterest.com/pin/211176669999200836/

So now what?  I do not have a pinterest account, although I did report this to pinterest!  As far as DIY....I haven't a clue how to handle that mess.  I am really outraged!  I have said on this blog that you may copy my work, but I at least expected that someone would make their own quilt for your own use, not for someone to use my photo to sell to DIY!

Wow, I bet you thought I fell off the face of the earth, huh?  I can't remember a longer stretch ever where I didn't post something!  Actually, it was kind of nice.  I mean, I wasn't sewing anyway, so no big deal, right?  In reality.......I am going NUTS from boredom!!!  Yesterday I took a 3 hour nap and then was up half the night wondering why I couldn't sleep.  Duh!!!  I need to get back on schedule! Only two or three more days!  I'm thinking of taking the tree and decorations down the 26th and beat the rush!  LOL  

So, you wonder what I've been doing?  I went to visit a friend who has Havanese puppies for sale.......and believe it or not, didn't even take one home (probably because they were too little yet.)  My friend even bought a costume for them.....note below: 

Then, I thought maybe it was time to clean out my pantry since I hadn't even looked in the whole thing since 2010.  (Sewing really gives you an excuse for all sorts of things, did you ever notice??  Who has time for mundane things like dumb old pantry cleaning??)  After a half a garbage bin of outdated stuff was dumped, it again looks neat and tidy:

And then it snowed..........and I hate snow!  Don't even ask me why I live in Wisconsin.....hello!!!  You'd think by now I would learn that Wisconsin gets SNOW, right?  BUT, my whole family lives here, so I'm sort of stuck!  Doesn't mean though that I can't stay in and just look at it, right?

So, between all that and going out for some breakfasts (which I rarely do), it's been a quiet few days.  I had my gang of 14 here this past Saturday, we had fun, and tomorrow I will finish off the holiday with a close family dinner and gift opening.  I hope all of you are having a relaxing time too.  Isn't it supposed to be about peace and joy?  That's what I thought!

Fear not though........things will be back to normal before you know it!  Until then, live in the moment and enjoy the spirit of the season!!!

The mail's been great!!!

This time of year the mail is usually fun with all the catalogs and Christmas cards and sale papers, but this past week the mail has been even better for me.  First off, I discovered that I was one of the winners of the giveaway at the Pincushion swap.  This delightful package of fun stuff arrived in the mail.  Next year, I must make one of those hats.......probably with the fabrics shown.  And it will need a bow of some sort, I'm thinking.  I'm sure I can come up with something!!!

Then, I was the recipient of this marvelous creation from my friend, Annie (freezeframe03):





It's a can/water bottle wrap (or in my case, a Diet Pepsi wrap).  I think it'll be marvelous for keeping the ice from melting.  Too cool!  That Annie is so inventive, sometimes I marvel at her creativity.  I sure wish she lived closer.......I can't imagine the fun we would have sewing together.

Next on the list of wonderfulness is the quilt I won from the Little Quilt - Sew, Vote, Swap.  I was lucky enough to win my first pick which is amazing.  Julie made it and it is even better in person:



I'm usually not a red/aqua girl, but the design and stitching was just so perfect, I couldn't pass it up!  Bravo, Julie!!!

Lastly, I got my mug rug from my partner for the Pincushion Swap.  She (Celine - espritpatch) nailed me perfectly by doing something simple, yet striking with my two favorite Christmas colors of red and lime.



And the real plus is that it's small enough to hang on the teeny spot right next to my back door so I see it every time I let Toby outside.

So, that's it.......oh.......almost forgot!  Along with winning the prize for the pincushion swap, the sender (who is a good friend and who has a sweet girl dog named Flossie about Toby's age), sent along a Christmas gift for my "boy".  He just had to put it on to wish you all a Merry Christmas!!



So, in case I'm not back before the big day (I still have a list a mile long and no obligatory sewing to finish), I hope each and every one of you enjoy your holiday to the fullest.  Find peace and joy in the little things and laugh lots!  Thank you so very much for a great year!  My life is much richer for having you in it!

Check these out:

Did you ever see anything so yummy looking?  Take a look at these "Oreo Truffles":



I found the recipe on Pinterest the other day and naturally, I had to run right out and get the ingredients to make them right away.  Incidentally, if you click on the picture, the recipe is right underneath on my Flickr page.  When I tried one, I thought I had died and had gone to heaven!!!  If you like chocolate, these, my friends are for YOU!!!  Not cheap to make though.  I got about 48 of them and I think the total cost was about $11 for the ingredients.  Oh well, it's Christmas!!!

On another note, I am getting along on my list.  I finally have my Christmas cards written and sent (as of this morning), and most of my obligation sewing is done.  I have one more special item to go this week and then I can "fun" sew again!  I finished my second set of birds for the bitty block group:



I was only supposed to make 12, but got carried away!  I seem to do that a lot lately for some crazy reason.  Look here:



I made him....."Happy Winter" a 9 x 14 mini quilt for the Little Quilt, Sew, Vote, Swap group, but then liked him so much that I decided to make more for friends for Christmas:



As of this morning, I have only one left to give away yet.  Hopefully, I'll get to see my friend soon!

I finished the 2nd "I spy" quilt too:



Today, I think I will sort cookies.  It's raining outside, and cold and ugly, so sorting cookies with Christmas carols in the background will be perfect.  Little by little, I am getting done.  Hope you can say the same!  Have a great week, my friends.............now go out and get yourself some oreos, cream cheese and semi sweet chocolate and make that recipe!  You won't be disappointed!!

I need more time.........

I think this is the first time in my whole married life that I haven't had my Christmas cards addressed and ready to go by now.  I just can't seem to catch up lately and I still have a ton of shopping to do yet. I wish I was savvy enough to know how to find everything I'm thinking of buying online....but the shipping might just flip me out!!

Instead, I sit here and try to fill my obligations for the various swaps I joined.  (Think that might be an avoidance issue??  I'm sorta thinking that might be it!!  After all, I always want to hibernate during the holiday season anyway because of all the extra work and this year was no different.......although my baking is done and my house is decorated!)

The bitty block swaps have been going nuts!  Besides, the polaroid side swap that I showed you last time, there is also a December group.......this time birds, and aliens.  You can guess which one I decided to make.  (In double, no less since I mentioned that I'd do 2 groupings.)  I already made the required amount for group 2:

Then, I decided to use some of the million (it seems) blocks that I've acquired since starting that group and make them into doll quilts for both my granddaughter and great niece for Christmas.  I picked out some of the cutest ones and thought an "I spy" type quilts would be fun.  I finished the one for my almost 5 year old great niece yesterday:

I didn't get the rows exactly straight, but I don't think it'll bother her.  I even did a sewn down binding.......horrors......figuring we're dealing with a kid here.......although she is a very responsible and gentle, only child.   It'll be hard to see those darling bitties leave my house!!!  I have become very attached to many of them!

Yesterday, I also started the birds for group 1........needless to say, they are still in process:

Don't be sassy and tell me it looks more like a chicken.  I sort think so too!  I could keep it for another month since "chickens" are coming up.........but I already have plans for a chicken or 24, so this has to pass for a bird.  I'm thinking of calling it a "Love Bird"......thus the heart.  Call me crazy!

Busy, busy, busy!!!

This time of year drives me nuts!  Seems like there is so much to do and shopping to be done, and not knowing what to buy......it just drives me crazy!  It was so much more fun when the kids were little and gave me a list and I stood in line for hours waiting for my turn to get a Cabbage Patch Doll.  And then such joy on the kid's faces when they ripped the paper off those boxes and discovered the strange names of their new "babies".  Eikes those dolls had weird names!  Did you ever notice?  I think they must have had a group of weird people whose jobs it was just to come up with all those goofy combinations.  I think we had a Corina Pethora and a Walter Jacob.  Naturally, they soon were shortened to Corrie and Wally though.  lol  Thank God!  I actually found Corrie in a box full of old Barbie dolls this week.  I wonder if my daughter might still want her?  Probably not!

I haven't accomplished much sewing this week.  I did join a side swap to the Bitty Block group though and had a fun time making polaroid blocks.  I took on 3 groups of 12.  You fussy cut the middle at 2 1/2 inches square and then cut side and top strips of 1 inch, and a bottom of 1 1/2 inches so it looks like a polaroid picture when you're done.







I think everyone had a fun time picking their blocks.  I know I am enjoying deciding when choosing mine from other swappers.

My next project is to start/finish 2 sets of 12 each of bird bitty blocks.  Birds are on the docket for December and I figured as long as I already was sending out a bunch of envelopes, I might as well stick a bird in some for the swappers that decided to join that swap.  I must be nuts!  (No comments from the peanut gallery, please..................)  I'm having company for dinner tonight, I need to grocery shop for stuff for that, get my sewing stuff off the table and groom Toby today too.  Eikes!  Then, in about 30 minutes hubby will be home from his church meeting and want breakfast.......(a ritual on Sundays.)  I suppose I should get a move on!!  You all have a great Sunday!  Relax for me!  Later............