Make It So

2019 is just about here.  

Time for reflection, recharging, and resolutions.

Toss what's not important.

Embrace your favorite things.  

This is the beginning of anything you want.

Christmas Surprise

I just got one of the coolest surprise gifts ever! A little background: my husband is a radio and electronic enthusiast. He loves them as much as I love sewing.

This vintage Buttons 'n Bows thread cabinet AM/FM tube radio was made December 23, 1965 by the Guild Radio & Television Company in California. It's in perfect condition and sounds fabulous. Decorated with spools, buttons, tape measure, scissors and pincushion, the knobs are little spools and thimbles. It is adorable!

Last year he bought a Guild Spice Chest AM kitchen radio. They manufactured several novelty radios disguised as other objects: lantern, old fashioned wall telephone, treasure chest, hurdy-gurdy, and more. Some are common, others more rare. He had been looking for this one for a while.

Don't you just love presents with a personal touch? I've been a little under the weather and this one made my day!

Hope y'all have a merry Christmas!

Ho, Ho, Ho!

With only a week until Christmas, I couldn't resist posting one last holiday quilt. It's a fun one made to hang on the wall or use as a door decoration. The 20” x 30” size made it quick to put together; I finished it in an afternoon. 

I used white on white print scraps for the letters, with a bright red tiny print as background. Crisp black and white gingham frames it nicely. I stitched with white thread in straight lines just under an inch apart.

Just a few more items on my to do list, including pecan pies to bake, and Chex mix to make.

Santa's coming soon, so be good, relax, and enjoy the holidays!

Snowy Quilts

Lone Pine

I have a confession to make: I may have witched up yesterday's winter ice event. Inadvertently, of course.

Last week I finished two winter quilts. Lone Pine has bright white decorative stitching along the branches to represent ice or snow. Oops! I made this 16” x 18” wall mat with half rectangle triangles of greens with a beige/cream print. I channel stitched around the tree and added a binding of green.

Snow Pine

Snow Pine is larger at 27 ½” x 32 ½” and made up of stacked shoo fly blocks in varying shades of green from my scrap basket, with solid white background. I channel quilted this one in 1” intervals.

I love snow but the ice caused us to lose power for a couple of hours and we have several pine branches on the ground. It didn't seem like that much ice but my favorite weeping willow tree is twisted and broken at the top from the weight.

Maybe I should get back to beach themed quilts for the rest of the winter...

Giving Christmas Cheer

My Christmas project will be ready to deliver this week. 

I have been sewing brightly colored napkins for my county's Meals on Wheels program. Their volunteers will add these to food deliveries for the holiday, and bring a bit of extra cheer to over 100 people.

How cool is that?  I spent time doing something I love and people I don't even know get a small surprise for Christmas.  

It's a great feeling to help others, so I challenge you to do something extra this season. Share your time, your talent, or your money to make someone's Christmas a little merrier.

Christmas is doing
a little something extra
for someone.
~Charles M. Schulz