Merry Christmas! SSCS gifts . . . . . . and other gifts

I am once again hunting for a camera. . .  .so I don't have pictures on this post. 

To all of you that celebrate Christmas I hope that you have had a blessed day and continued peace.

Mr. Books & I attended the candlelight service last night & our regular Sunday service this morning.  It was very hectic but rewarding.

We haven't yet celebrated Christmas with my family yet. . . . and won't be celebrating it with Mr. Books daughter until next weekend so there will be additional updates.

But, as of right now I can say that I did not add to the stash for this day --- at least not fabric; I did pick up a pattern yesterday for a wall hanging that I am thinking of making for my office wall for next Christmas.

I opened the gift from Dale in Australia that was my SSCS gift. . . .oh, just wait until I can get a photo!!  I received a calendar and the most wonderful stitcher's case that I have ever seen.  The colors are wonderful & there are very many "nooks & crannies" for me to use to store things for "on the go" stitching.

The calendar will be wonderful on my refrigerator and will let me see what wonders there are to see in other parts of the world.

Thank you Dale, I love the gifts you sent and appreciate all the time you took to make it!

Mr. Books knows that I love novelty pins (brooches) and is always on the prowl for pieces to make to my collection.  (I'm known as the "pin lady" at work.)  Well, he added 2 pieces to my collection. . . . in a theme that I had not yet started -- SPORTS!!

We went to an antique mall yesterday (kind of a new tradition for us in the past couple of years).  While there he found a billiards pin and a golf club pin for me.

He had been looking for a treadle sewing machine but we hadn't come upon one of those in this trip.  Which is a good thing because right now I don't know where we would put it (at least so I could use it) until I get the house organized a bit better.

I'll post more later on. . . . and hope that by then I will have pictures. . . because I also have pictures to show of blocks that I made for a Flickr swap and I will get those blocks in the mail tomorrow so that I am ahead of the deadline.

In peace and pieces,

What, there are FINALLY pictures???!!!

Ok, I still don't have my camera USB cord replaced (or found) but I have Mr. Books' camera. . . so here are some pictures:

This first picture is a doll quilt that I did for a swap through Delphi Forums.  The theme selected by my partner was Winter.  I love how the green (from a fabric line called "Winter Wonderland" -- sorry, I don't remember the designer) just "pops".  It reminds me of how scarves are so colorful.

 This next series of pictures are of the quilt that I did for the 2nd "Wrapped In Hope" recipient.  This child listed "basketball, orange and green" as favorite things.  I had a fun time looking for basketball themed fabrics (as you can see from the detail pictures that follow).  This is the 2nd quilt that I have done on our Grace quilting frame.

 This is a another view of the quilt. . . . gives a little closer view of the fabrics.

 This is the central panel (also used for some of the smaller pieces). . . .definitely basketball.

 Here are some basketballs (and orange).

 And you need basketball shoes if you are going to play!

This is the adorable ornament that I received from Dale in Australia. . . .both sides are beaded (wish I could have figured out a way to show both sides in one shot)!  It is wonderful.

I'm working on several other projects at the moment so there should be some more pictures in the not too distant future!

In peace and pieces,

SSCS has arrived!!

Last night I received my SSCS from Dale in Australia!!

Things got busy & I did not have a chance to take a photo of the ornament -- but that is on my list for this evening. Take it from me (for now at least) that it is very adorable!!

I don't know what else was sent because there was clearly marked "DO NOT OPEN UNTIL CHRISTMAS" card on the other package. Mr. Books is keeping me honest so I have another 19 days to wait.

Not having a working computer at home has become a bit of a pest --- not so much for missing Facebook, but for uploading pictures and such. But I have been getting quite a bit of sewing and housework (gasp!!!) done.

I hope to be able to upload pictures here tomorrow so you can all see my great new ornament!

In peace and pieces,

SSCS 2011 and other things (including Black Friday)

I mailed out my SSCS 2011 package today. . . sorry, I can't post pictures of what I sent because it would ruin the Christmas surprise!

Hmmmm. . . .a hint, perhaps? Ok, the package is NOT staying here in the USA.

That's all you are going to get until I know that my partner has opened her gifts. Hopefully by then the computer at home with either be working or replaced!! LOL

In addition to the SSCS 2011 package I am madley finishing up a doll quilt for the doll quilt swap #14 through The Quilting Bee group through Delphi Forums.

I love the quilt that I am doing & wish that I had enough fabric to make another one just like it. . . but since I am working from mostly stash I can't make an exact duplicate --- which might be a very good thing!

There is also the 2nd Wrapped In Hope quilt that has to be mailed out before the end of next week. . . that one just needs to have the quilting completed and then the binding.

I've had such a great time working on the quilts for Wrapped In Hope that I signed up for FOUR quilts for next year!! Besides having the satisfaction of making something for a child that needs it I'm able to try different fabrics and/or patterns that I might not make for myself.

And, of course, I am also using up stash fabrics, stash batting, and stash thread!!

Mr. Books & I may skip Black Friday festivities this year (first time since we've been together). . .there just isn't anything that we are desperate to have ready for gifts. It seems weird to think that I'll be staying home --- I think it has probably been 12 years or more since I've done that.

Joann's Fabrics has some items that are 70% or more off. . . and I'm thinking that I might go there --- but then again, I may not. I'm still on the fence.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I have many things to be thankful for -- not the least being that I will be having a nice dinner with my parents and one of my sisters & her family.

For those that celebrate Thanksgiving --- don't indulge too much --- remember, turkey makes you sleepy.

To all I wish a happy and peaceful day.

To the Blace Friday Warriors --- keep smiling --- you will drive everyone else crazy!! ROFLOL

In peace and pieces,