Happy New Year!!

As a quilter, 

I seem to make a list in regards to my quilts yearly.

Which ones do I want to do... finish....start....

You know!!

I tell myself that I will finish what I have already going.....

Then the squirrel effect takes over

and 

I am all over my sewing room!!

To avoid this dilemma,

I am going to just go with the flow.

Enjoy what I have going on. 

End of sentence.

Life is short....live it up!!

Chop up that favorite fabric!

Start that 19th quilt....

Courtesy of Laundry Basket Quilts - Alaska

You're quilting buddies will finish your UFO's after you are gone...

Right, girls???

Ah.....it won't matter.

I won't be here to see it in the dog's bed anyways!!

Hope 2018 was good to you

and

2019 is even better!!

(insert clicking of Rotary cutters here)

Cheers!!

Happy New Years!!

Christa

Merry Christmas to All

Smells like pine in this house!!

I do love a real tree. 

With hardwood, it's a breeze to clean up!

The gifts have been made and delivered!!

I made a few batches of Christmas tree napkins.

The possiblities are endless!!

A second snowman had made his way to his home!!

He is completely stitched on my embrodery machine.

Each bottom panel took 117 MINUTES!!!

Even his arms are stitched!!

My Trike had been decorated for the season!!

I am sure my grandson is going to want to take it for a spin!!

They do such an amazing job at our local florist

A Loving Touch

We needed one more stocking for an extra guest this year...

So I used the leftovers of the napkins to make a crazy stocking.

I think we are ready...

Let the celebrations begin!!

Hope there is family and friends surrounding you all!!

Have a very Merry Christmas!!

From my family to yours!!

Christa  

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Christa

How to Build a Snowman

A friend recently showed us 

an adorable snowman she made with her embroidery machine

It is called free standing lace.

I thought I would give it a try.

After all, I haven't done a whole lot with my new Bernina 770QE

Why start with something easy??

Let's just dive right in!!

I started with the hat.

I figured if that's all I ended up with,

 I could at least set it on a doily 

and

say the rest of him melted!!

The panels for each section took quite some time...

How do you get a nice pointy nose??

 By sticking it in the pencil sharpener!!

Thankfully it all worked out!!

He had gone to his new home for Christmas!!

I know he is loved!

Christa 

Star of Hope

On my last day in Palm Springs,

I was surfing Instagram.

 I ran across an application 

to be

 an ambassador for 2019 for Island Batiks

Am I the best quilter??

Hell..... no!!

But I do LOVE to sew 

and

With every project I promise myself I will do it better. 

Sometime it works..sometime I still have to work on it!!

What do I have to lose??

Nothing!!!!

Of course...it was the last day to apply.

Working with fabulous Batiks....

New and exciting challenges...

I filled out the application.

The final part was sending in a 12.5" block.

What's a girl to make??

I have made many intricate quilt blocks....

I perused my options.

Then this jumped out....

After all, I can only HOPE that I have a chance!!

I sacrificed some of my precious batiks I purchased in Bali last year.

I thought maybe it would bring a little good luck!!

Tick, Tock...

Now to wait and see if I am a contender!!

Christa 

The Rest of the Story...Palm Desert 2018

There was a list of 'Must do's' at the house.

A Dole Whip was one of them.

You always think 'really???'

Yup...This was DEFINITELY a must do!!

It was not ice cream.

It was blended pineapple juice.

It was so refreshing....it was ridiculous!!!

You have no idea!!

The Tram was on the list so we hit that up!!

You start at 2600 feet and go up to 6000 feet!!

Sand to Snow!!

Pictures can't do it justice...

but it gives you an idea!!

Here is a video of part of the trip down!

The inside rotates in a circle as you travel for 360 views twice!

There was a ton of people going up 

but

 really nice as only a few came down with us!

I am sure you can see right over to Yuma!!

Larissa took a hike at the top 

but

 it was pretty slippery and dangerous!!

Mom and dad headed home the next day!!

Sad to see them go but was great to see them again!

The Living Desert Zoo was on Larissa's list so we hit that up next.

Tannis took these amazing photos of the animals!

The hummingbirds were not afraid of people at all!!

The vulture wing span was HUGE!!

There were 3 sister Cheetahs.

We stopped at Shields Date farm.

Nothing like fresh dates!!

The date shakes tasted like Chocolate shakes!!

Delicious!

Pizza at Stuft Pizza was gourmet!!

We tried to go to the Villagefest downtown in Palm Springs 

but

Torrential rains cancelled it so we browsed the Art Museum instead

This made me think of my friend, Jymmi Kaye

She took a class in Houston on stitching these little mirrors in embroidery

Art is definitely in the eye of the beholder...

This was sliced bread nibbled to make a picture of a guy somersaulting

Hmmm.....

Textures are an art form in themselves...

Looks like a quilted wall

This Persian rug was so cool.

That too some work to incorporate the color 

to look like it was pouring on the floor

Drift wood horse....

Some massive soup bowls

And if you have any unused golf bags....

You can make a totem pole!!!

It is always an experience!!

I hit up one quilt store. 

Monica's Quilt and Bead Creations

Dangerous combination for me!

I like fabric and beads like my sisters love wine!!

I did manage to get out with just a couple of patterns.

This Laura Heine fish also screamed Jymmi Kaye...

I purchased the pattern to make these baskets...

I am always drawn to blues and  points!!

These yo-yo tea towels were adorable!

I could see myself wintering in a place like this...

It was hard to say good bye to warmth, 

flowers and green grass

But Winter has it's own beauty too!!

I spotted the WestJet Tarmack crew with a sign as we flew away...

You're our favourite guest...Yeah...You.

Westjet.

Got to love all they do to make it feel personal!!

Now to get back to regularly scheduled programming...

Christmas projects!

17 days to go...

Christa