First Snow of the Season

It's a habit...I walk out of my bedroom and look out the side window by the front door.
And to my surprise it was snowing! Just wanted to share the joy of December snow in Texas.

Happy Holidays!

Thanksgiving Table Runner and a New Twist

When I visited BFF last time we popped into Wally World for some items and I picked up E-6000 to glue the wood and mirror together from an old...OLD vanity. I cleaned up the mirrors, glued them well and the next day hung them beside this old ceiling tin.



I like the darker tone against the celadon walls and the lighter tones of the room.

The Thanksgiving Table runner turned out perfectly sized for the table.





Last year I picked up chunky glittered gold pillars for the table but the plaid table cloth and simple runner, candles and little amber prisms on the chandelier seemed quite enough.



The tapers I use every year along with the crystal.

I would love to have an assortment of plates for each season but I already have three sets and no butler's pantry just yet. So, the simple solution was to get pretty paper plates and set my clear glass plates over them! It looked nicer than I thought it would with the coordinating napkins and dessert plates.

What do you think?





And just in time for the Thanksgiving Holiday we had a cold snap and I caught a glimpse of the Fall tones scattered across our little crepe myrtle tree. This is its second Fall and the colors were amazing in shades of amber, rust, copper and a hint of plum.



Having walked through the dark days of unemployment and under employment, I receive comfort looking at this fabulous Creation we are blessed to enjoy, this Earth we walk. ...My prayers are with those whose family may be in Iraq or unable to come 'Home' and for those unemployed and/or struggling. May God bless each of you.

Melissa

Thanksgiving Table Runner----Check!

Had it not been for the Online Retreat at our Texas Quilters group I may only have dreamed of it and not actually made it. Seems there is always time to dream and plan but LIFE gets in the way of actually measuring, cutting and sewing. Therefore, we set aside a weekend to do SOME thing toward our projects. It helps me get somethings done, a little or a lot depends on what is going on. Otherwise, who knows if I would have Made the time. Ya Know?

I made a simple template in several sizes for what I call Faux Cathedral Window along with a sample of what it looks like here.

I realized the middle area was a bit puckered so remedied it on the T'Giving Runner.

When BFF was last in town, we went to the quilt shop sale, half price on fat quarters and we had the best time!

Anyway, I used my templates for the largest Faux Window and laid my fabric out and sandwiched them for a fast cut. As you can see I had lots of help from my Assistant George who is always there to lend a paw.



I like to line up the fabric with the straight of grain so they don't stretch too much during construction. It takes a little more time but is well worth it when you are sewing it all up.



Do the same thing with the big circle, as this is the back of your Faux Window.

Then cut LIGHT weight fusible interface/backing with the square like you did cutting the fabric.

Be careful not to cut your template...I cut my template and it made my pattern a little off because I didn't recut the fabric. I am usually in too much a hurry and don't stop and take my time. NEXT time, I'll do it right...that is my intention, anyway.

Speaking of lending a paw...here is George catching the rolled up webbing for me. Little stinker knows when that camera is on and won't play so I can get good photo.




Once I had the squares and circles cut out it was time to iron on the fusible webbing to the wrong side of the square. Do them all.



Then begin choosing which squares you want to go with which circles. The beauty and bane of this system is just starting...lol...but try to get lights and darks together making sure you have a nice variety.

OR

You can do all the same like I did in the sample referenced above. I like them both. However, it is less stressful if you use just a couple fabrics.

OR

You can do a traditional white backing as per a Cathedral Window. The options are endless!

Now, lay the square inside the Circle. Make sure the Circle is RIGHT side DOWN and the Square is Right side UP. Like in this photo:



Then Iron them together. The Circle is 1/4 inch wider for a seam allowance. If you want to do this by hand then turn the edge under 1/4 inch and whip stitch it down. I used the machine. IF you choose to hand stitch this part make a sample first so you can see how it is sewing thru the webbing. If it is too difficult, leave the webbing off and pin the square to the circle.




Now your Circles have their Squares attached or pinned. Lay them out on the table or floor and decide what order you want them to be in...took me at least as long to do this as it did to cut out, iron on the webbing, etc.




Now iron the flaps down over the squares. The resulting creases are the sewing line you will use to sew the blocks to each other. You can pin if you like, I found them easy to keep lined up but pinning could also be useful.

You may want to do them by the row or by the individual piece. I did the individual piece due to cutting my template and the Circles being a bit off because of that. It gave a bit of a stretch as the sewing line fell on the bias not the straight of grain. Ordinarily, the ironed seam is to fall right on top of the edge of the square (straight of grain) for the sewing line...I had to ease and hope.



Your options for finishing out the edges of the circle are many. You may turn under the edges of your circles and iron them, if you like, that will make the top stitching faster.

OR

You can use a decorative thread and a stitch on your machine to finish the circles.

OR

You can embellish each seam with a crazy quilt type edge, which would be fabulous if you have the time.

I did a narrow zigzag to anchor the edges then came back over the edges with a wider zigzag.



I like the way it turned out and will post a photo once I get the table cloth on the table for the runner to lay on.

The Two Teeth are gone

Yesterday I went to see a really amazing dental surgeon. I am told he has 2 PhDs and teaches at two Universities...in between he does what dental surgeons do.

My appointment started by swallowing 2 Atavans. WOW! Reminds me of the Demerol when I had my last son.

My younger son took me to the doctor, thought that was so sweet. I think my older son felt like I was showing favoritism but I told him I still remember when we were at that mall in D.C. and when I tripped he, stood a safe distance away and just let me stumble, wave my arms wildly and flail about, never trying to help me, while a tour bus stopped to watch...thought I'd never find my footing...lol...I'm sure it was quite a sight as son was laughing hysterically when I looked back to where he was standing.

My younger son is BIG and can easily steady me...even though I am quite fluffy. So I chose him.

I don't remember too much about the visit. I remember offering the surgeon an Atavan if he did a good job. He laughed, said he would do a good job without it...lol! Can't believe I did that!

Then I remember being in the waiting room afterward while Carolyn, who is FABULOUS, told me to do this and that, I nodded politely, good grief what was she saying? My son asked a few questions, they chatted and we made it home.

Fortunately, I made half the soup before I left home that afternoon...my older son finished it and made corn bread...he is a sweetheart and will do such things.

Hubby was there when I got home and helped me into my night gown, set me up on the bed and went to get something for me...who knows what it was.

I woke up in the middle of the night sideways in the bed, to my younger son giving me Advil...see how sweet he is?

Next day I asked hubby why he didn't tell me to lay down properly so I wouldn't roll off the bed and hurt myself, he said he knew I wouldn't. Hmmm...or he was hoping to collect my life insurance? LOL!

Younger son asked if hubby had given me my 7:30am meds. No. Apparently he forgot. He's been a little stressed, really, he has. I do call him Butt from time to time...I just can't help it, ya know?

Anyway, went back this past week and am healing well. Have to go back again Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Just to make sure.

And the lady who takes you money is into PINK! She found a sparkly Pink stapler, calculator, tape dispenser...oh, I wanted it so bad!

All in all I am SO glad I wasn't living Way Back When and that I had a very competent surgeon who could get those two teeth out for me...did I tell you the back tooth had three pins from a root canal gone very badly? One of the pins had gone through the tooth and was causing a bit of infection at the base of the tooth.

SO nice not to deal with that anymore!

Hope your teeth are in good shape for Holiday Smiles and photos,
Melissa

The Hobbit Foot returns

Ok, So I was still bruising everytime I put on shoes...so yesterday I went to see Doc Gorgeous.

He asked what happened and I told him a bottle of beer fell out of the top shelf of the fridge some how and landed on my foot.

He said that is why we buy Light beer. LOL!

Apparently I have no broken bones. May have a broken capillary or two that bleed when locked up in my poorly fitting shoes...ugh! So, now I have to be fitted for new shoes at the New Balance store...or any shoe on that list in my purse. I'm going barefoot again at home and the foot seems to be doing better. My current New Balances are just fine so I am going to give it time to heal up and see how it goes. Mainly cause I want other things right now than new shoes for that foot.

I'm going to see if Santa brings me a pair first, he, of all people, should know if the shoe is properly fitting or not, doncha think?

So that is where we are with the Hobbit foot.

I knew you were wondering. :)

Oh, and tomorrow I get two teeth pulled...should be fun. LOL!

Melissa

Fabulous Fun at BFF's Home

Last Friday afternoon I hit the highways and had a lovely drive to my BFF's place.

It was a balmy sunny day, the lakes were lovely, the traffic tame and I arrived at her school just as school was about to let out. I was invited inside to meet 8 sweet children, really, really cute kids. Respectful, smiling, a little glint of fun sparkling in their eyes, it was great!

Then she and I wandered through Brookshire's. She showed me different sauces and food to give my cooking a super charge and then we went home to her place on half an acre.

Once I rolled out of the city there was a peace, an exhale of stress. But nothing can match sitting on the back deck of BFF's home. Never mind when you pull into her driveway the cell phone automatically looses contact, it matters not...the trees in her backyard are tall and the sound of the breeze ruffles the leaves...Peace, pure peace to my heart.

Back inside, we chopped red onions, garlic, roasted corn her Hubby had just taken off the grill (and he chopped the onions so we wouldn't cry...sweet huh?) , rotisserie chicken, fresh green peppers and threw all that into a big saute pan with black beans to simmer. Talk about a fabulous fragrance filling the kitchen!



While all that simmered, she threw all this in a beautiful bowl.

Letting that chill, she threw flour tortillas on a baking sheet to crisp in the oven then she added the saute ingredients to each tortilla, topped with an assortment of cheeses and then back into the oven to melt.




Her older son, her hubby and I were patiently waiting to fill our plates. Not! Look at that cheese! Didn't take us long to fill our plates.



The next day we made nachos out of the left overs...YUM!

And ya know what?

She hooked me up with WOW...World of WarCraft...yep, I have a rockin' troll or elf...wherever, she is thin and can kill scorpions and wander through an amazingly beautiful world! It's a trial now but I will probably get the whole set up. You would NOT believe how much time flies when you are playing this game! And it is a great way for us to hook up during the week and visit.

A bit of Normal

I'm not feeling up to a quilting session or cleaning up the house just yet. But I am able to embroider those pumpkin drawings I showed a few posts back.



Turned out really cute!



You can see in the raw drawing that I included lots of curlicues. They are much easier drawn or painted than embroidered...those curlicues get shortened and/or eliminated at will...lol!

Orange isn't my favorite color so I chose to embroider the 8 pumpkins in 4 colors plum, burgundy, dark cinnamon and straight up pumpkin. Two shades of green provide contrast and accents on each piece.



They should look nice on the table runner for Thanksgiving.

Embroidery is very time consuming but should be pretty for years to come and if handled well, an heirloom. So I am wanting to make these as nice as possible.
Another help to me has be the Online Retreats the Texas Quilter group has the first of the month. Gives us a chance to plan and set goals and work to meet them rather than letting those plans take a place on the back burner.

What are you working on for the Holidays?

Let's see, one done, one ready for the leaves and curliques...6 to go.

That's what I'm up to,
Melissa