out with the old . . .

Happy New Year!

Well, almost. Counting down the remaining hours until 2022 here in good ol' central time . . . two and a half more hours! Figured I'd get one more post in and make it a rounded up forty-five for the year.  <grin> 

I got a Clover brand pom-pom maker.  This thing is such fun . . .

The possibilities are endless! You'll be seeing more of this in 2022. <wink>

My top nine photos from 2021 on Instagram. I shared my last nine years of top nines on my account, @daneesey.  It was fun to take the walk down memory lane!

My team won their bowl game this afternoon and are off to play in the National Championship game in ten days!

Roll Tide ROLL! So proud for these guys!

For my final photo of 2021, the most darlingest baby in the whole world.  I mean just look at that sweet smile!!

Yup.  ♥

Hugs and auld lang syne! 

:)

all the things . . .

Remember that cute Halloween fabric I got a couple of weeks ago??

Really cute, right??  Guess what I found out on accident . . .

It GLOWS IN THE DARK!!!  Is that not the best?  You know what that means?

It means I went back and got MORE!  Haha!  And as per usual, I found something else I *needed* while I was there.  

Joc sent me this photo during the week . . . 

Ezra's little bed, all ready for little Ezra!  The pillow sham turned out so sweetly! 

I've been so puzzled trying to figure out why, of my two hanging pots of impatiens, the one on the right does so much better than the one on the left.  I think I may have figured it out.  What do you think?

I guess I need to switch them up every once in a while!

Friday we hit the lake again.  Sometimes, since I read or stitch most every time, it feels like all my lake pictures are the same, week after week.  But I will share this sunset . . . 

The sliver of a moon was shining so brightly!  And though you can't make it out in the photo, Venus was also very prominent in the sky. 

Sawyer had his first soccer game of the season yesterday!

I still cannot get over how grown up (and handsome!) he is!  James tells me Sawyer is a good player and tireless ... just like his daddy was.  I hate that I'm not able to go to a game.  

And can I tell you just how GLAD I am that college football season is back??  Roll Tide ROLL!

Todd and I have been enjoying Game Day parties for two.  LOL!  It's a good life!

:)

beginnings and ends . . .

I love finishes!  This morning I can share not one, but TWO! Well, perhaps I should clarify. Not two completely finished, ready-to-put-up-and-enjoy-and-never-need-to-be-worked-on-again projects. But two projects on which I've finished the embroidery stitches! I wrapped up my pumpkin piece (by Crabapple Hill Studios):

I just love this sweet stitchery.  I love the character and variety of stitches and colors.  It was truly like painting a scene.  It's so yummy!

And I finished my teapot table topper . . .

I think the last time I shared anything on it, I was still whipping the hexies together! I finished the hexies up during the week, and spent Friday evening and part of Saturday stitching on the teapots.

I don't know what I was thinking, not stitching them up FIRST and then fussy fitting them to the hexie templates.  It made it that much more challenging to stitch!  Especially when driving down bumpy ol' I-65 to Tuscaloosa, Alabama for a football game!

(Like that segway?! LOL!) A dear couple had gifted us with tickets to the West Carolina game.  It's the first time I've been to an Alabama game since 1982 (and then I went as an Ole Miss student/fan). We had such a blast!  

The Million Dollar Band was phenomenal.  I adore marching bands, and they do a great presentation.  My favorite formation was when they got into the shape of an elephant (Alabama's mascot):

The stadium is beautiful and it was a fun game to go to.  Even though it was grey and COLD!  

Luckily, though, our seats were both fantastic *and* under cover and we were protected from the wind.  Otherwise it would have been hard to bear!

It was an early game time (11:00 a.m.), so we were home in time (5:30 p.m -- it's a long drive) for me to pick up a new stitchery.  I shared this one by Kathy Schmitz several weeks back . . .

Time to stitch on snowmen! I'd been in a quandary about the type of floss I was going to use.  I finally settled on this really pretty variegated dark blue perle from Valdani.  Another yummy!

I'm going to enjoy working on this sweet piece! But I'm going to admit right up front, that I'll go back forth between it and other stitchery projects.  Mary Corbet has a book of snowflake patterns she's releasing after Thanksgiving, and I'm itching to get my hands on it (so to speak)!

Okay, so that's quite enough from me for the time being.  Except to say that I'm linking up with Kathy's Quilts for slow stitching.  And also that I'm participating in the Christmas Virtual Cookie Exchange blog hop that's coming up SOON! There are lots of lovely folks participating and it should be a lot of FUN! My day is December 3, and I plan to have some very yummy treats to share!

Happy Sunday! 

:)

ch-ch-ch-changes . . .

Oh yeah, the blog 'look' for sure.  It seemed to be time for a bit of a perk-up! And since this will be the year of crazy quilting . . . or perhaps more succinctly . . . quilting crazily (!!!) . . . the new header seemed appropriate.  And yellow and purple have long been a favorite combination of mine.  :)

I haven't talked about resolutions or goals or a word for 2014.  I've been reading a book by Josh Hunt called, Break a Habit; Make a Habit ($2.99 on kindle right now).  

It's a fascinating read.  One of the statements he makes early in the book is that instead of making a list of changes you're going to make, pick ONE habit you need to make or break and focus on that ONE goal.  He further writes and has the research to back it up) that not only are you more likely to succeed, but that other areas of your life will fall into line as well.  

I see the wisdom in this line of thinking but my problem is this:  which ONE habit do I want to tackle?!?! LOL!  I could easily write out a list of changes I want to make and disciplines I want to master . . . but which ONE is worthy of *all* my focus and attention?!  Heh.  Really . . . honestly and truthfully . . . I know what it should be.  I just have to decide if that's what I WANT it to be.  :) 

I have decided that in my quilting life, I also want to make a change.  I want to be diligent to spend at least 15 minutes a day in the sewing bunkroom.  Kate, over at Life In Pieces, has challenged herself in this very manner for the last three years.  She's even done a weekly linky party for others.  I've never participated before (and I believe she's decided to discontinue it in 2014), but I do want to make that commitment. Fifteen minutes daily -- either piecing or constructing or quilting -- *some* tangible aspect of quilting. Whether or not I'll post my results, I haven't decided.  Only to press towards the goal.  :)

Tonight I'm sitting in front of the computer watching the introductory and month one videos for The Quilt Show's new BOM, A - Z for Ewe and Me.  

Isn't it a really cute quilt?!  I'm not ready to start it right this minute, but I am saving the steps for later (who knows when).

While I watch, I'm playing with My Orange Crush.  

I still have eight blocks that need to be quilted before I can assemble it.  This quilt WILL be done before the year's end.  Now *that's* resolve.  I've put it out there . . . so y'all can call me on it!

I also picked my GC next block to work.  Number 11 -- Little Red Schoolhouse.

I think I skipped this one because of the templates.  It doesn't look too terribly difficult.  Perhaps I'll have this one finished before the end of the weekend!

And so . . . kick off in the Alabama vs. Oklahoma game just started. Guess it's time to change focus-it promises to be a good game!!  Roll Tide!!

:)

happy birthday . . .

. . . to Eleanor Pearl!

I can hardly believe that Ellie's one . . . where did the year go?

We're celebrating her birthday with a special tea party on Saturday -- I can't wait!  Jocelyn had seen a pattern for a baby doll ... she wanted to make Ellie's first baby doll ... so she bought the pattern and the materials and on Monday she set about making Ellie her dear little dolly . . . 

Isn't she darling?  I helped stitch the face -- we chose a variegated blue/green/brown for the eyes, because Ellie's eye color changes with the hour.  My recent redwork lesson on satin stitches was a great asset -- the eyes and the nose were both stitched that way!  It's a really cute pattern -- I see more of these in our family's future!

This morning I'll be joining with the choir at Flint River Baptist Church to sing tribute to Brother Carl Tate -- he was one of the most wonderful Christian men I've ever met.  He passed away on Monday -- he was ninety-four.

He was a visitor to the camp on multiple occasions (and is pictured here singing at the pavilion for our Jamboree in 2011) - in fact, his wife, Evelyn, was the clerk for the Madison Baptist Association and was commissioned at the camp.  It will be an honor to sing for him -- especially this song -- his song -- I Sing Because.   While he will truly be missed here on earth, I know his voice is a joyful addition to the heavenly choruses!

Speaking of choruses of Hallelujah, Monday night brought lots of happy shouts of joy from this household . . .

Roll Tide!!  It wasn't nearly the game I'd expected it to be, but I can't say I'm disappointed!  

And finally -- please do come back tomorrow ... it'll be my day for the In Your Words hop -- and I'm totally loving my project!!

:)

whittling down the stash (report #48)

Short and sweet today . . . mainly because I added NOTHING!  Can you believe it?!  Good thing it's only fabric and not felt or floss I'm counting.  LOL!

Used/donated this week: 2.5 yards

Used/donated year-to-date: 49.5 yards

Purchased/added this week: 0.0 yards

Purchased/added year-to-date: 172.75 yards

Net used/donated for 2012: -123.25 yards

I'm so pleased to have reductions two weeks in a row!  Haha!  Be sure to head over to Patchwork Times and check out where the stash *enhancements* happened this past week!

My "slow" stitching Sunday involves poinsettias, key fobs, and my redwork course . . .  

And I have to say a hearty ROLL TIDE!!!  I'm so glad the SEC Championship game is done -- it was a real nail biter!!

Now I can say bring on Notre Dame!

:)

stash report #28 and an early roll tide . . .

So.  A few changes to this week's stash report.  Since I got two quilts sandwiched and ready for quilting, I'm prepared to tally their respective yardages in my 'used' column!  Unfortunately, I also bou so mor didn't rea nee and I nee to add that . . . so it's probably pretty close to a wash:

Used/donated this week: 9 yards

Used/donated year-to-date: 23.75 yards

Purchased/added this week: 4 yards

Purchased/added year-to-date: 76 yards

Net used/donated for 2012: -52.25 yards

It's down from last week though!  Whoohoo!  As per usual, I'll be linking up with Judy Laquidara's Patchwork Times for the weekly stash reporting!

I was taking a facebook break yesterday in the middle of my heroic effort to de-clutter my kitchen space (more on that whole deal later next week), and stumbled on a contest for this:

Isn't it darling?!  They don't make them any smaller than 6 mos., so June won't be able to wear one, but Ellie sure will be able to!  We'll have her saying "Roll Tide" in no time!

In a *different* facebook break (hey, my boss said I could), I stumbled across this link for Fairytale Frocks & Lollipops.  Oh my gosh, they have patterns for some of the most darling infant/toddler/children's clothes!  I've shared it with both Joc and Kim:  we're going to have so much fun!!

:)

the flip side . . .

May I make a confession? I've never pieced the back of quilt I've made. Ever. With the exception of the quilts I've made in the quilt-as-you-go method, all my quilts have had whole-cloth backs.

Until now!!! I wasn't sure what I wanted to do on the back of Ellie's quilt. At first I thought I wanted to do it in flannel or minky, but I didn't have enough of anything in my stash, and I really, strongly wanted this quilt to be made with fabrics I had on hand. So I decided to piece it (yikes!) with the leftover fabrics from the nursery.

Tah-dah!! When I'd first seen the pink and white fabric Joc had selected for the curtain panels, I fell in love with it immediately! It made me think of a fancy, gilded bird cage ... which was the perfect compliment to the exotic birds in the fabric that was part of her nursery bedding. So I pieced the back to give that look of the birds in the cage, bordered by that beautiful solid pink.

Here's a shot from the nursery of the pillows, the lampshade and the curtains. The quilt will be perfect in this room!

I will bind it with this dark purple piece leftover from Joc's wedding quilt.

Can you see the hearts in it?! It's just perfect for this quilt!! I'm so excited ... I can't wait to get quilting on it!

And I can't let this post go without acknowledging my new favorite number . . .

ROLL TIDE!!!

(And happy Tuesday!)

:)

pumpkins and tea . . .

Pumpkins seem to be a recurring theme in my blogging lately ... but I went back and looked at the last couple of Octobers and it's just a sign of the times. The time of autumn, to be specific. So I guess that's just who I am in October ... a pumpkin whisperer. LOL!

(She says, drinking a hot cup of Pumpkin Spice coffee.)

Anyway, my cohort in pumpkin crimes designs was once again my beautiful Jocelyn.

She gave her two pumpkins from last week a second top coat and then proceeded to stripe the one.

I just *love* how these turned out! I touched up my baby one (it had a few little Sawyer-loving spots on it) and gave the glitter a second coat. Aren't they pretty??

Pretty spectacular is what I say. I think I like Joc's ten sections better than my eight sections, though. Of course, she had more pumpkin for it, too.

Then Joc took her other creamy pumpkin and used a paper doily as a stencil for this effect . . .

I wish I'd gotten a photo of her face as she worked on this bad boy. Talk about concentration!

I really like the effect of this one -- and the copper paint was a beautiful compliment to the creamy white. Joc said it looked like wedding colors and I'm inclined to agree. Wedding and dreamy and romantic. For a pumpkin.

I went the whole 180-degree direction and finished up my more manly Roll Tide pumpkin.

I got my "A" in there and got it nicely outlined in black . . .

And then went over the black with the glitter paint. Because I am a girl and there can never really be too much glitter. Just saying. Roll Tide. :)

We didn't get to the carving, but there's still time. I really, really do want to have some carved pumpkins on my front porch over the weekend prior to Halloween. We have a HUGE Father and Son camp-out group that weekend, and I want to be able to have our happy lights on and lit pumpkins to share. Hey, it's the closest to community I get out here in the Camp!

Now, for my tea-loving friends, I would be remiss if I did not share this lovely find with y'all.

Let me preface this by saying I'm not an Anglophile, nor am I a 'royals' fanatic. Heck, I didn't even watch the last royal wedding (tornadoes and all that), but I am a tea person and I happened to catch a piece the CBS Morning Show did with one of the reps from Harney & Sons, who had been commissioned by the Royal Family to come up with . . .

The Wedding Tea. And as a tea lover I was very intrigued. So I went online and found some and went so far as to add it to my wish list. I even made a NOTE on my wish list, expressing that I really did want a tin of tea!

And so, seven months later, with a little of my birthday money, I made the splurge. And in yesterday's mail, it arrived.

And I was not disappointed in the least. This white tea has a lovely, lovely aroma and a very light, delicate taste. It truly was wonderful and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes to try new things. As you can see it's not loose, but it's in silk sachets, and each sachet makes a two-cup pot of tea. Perfect!! And the tin will be a keeper, once the tea is gone. Jocelyn and I enjoyed a spot of afternoon tea after our pumpkin-time. It was the best!!!

And who knows what will unfold today?! Perhaps pumpkin tea and pumpkin embroidery?!? I did get some other things in the mail yesterday that I am going to have fun playing with in the days to come. Perhaps I need to move on to turkeys?!

:)