Almost the end of December

The roads are ice-covered and slick and we are expecting 4-6 inches of new snow today! Oh, woe is me...where will we put all the snow? Wisconsin has set nothing but new records for snow falls this month. We've had 10 more inches of snow already than we had all last year. I have a date with the grocery store later to make sure the cupboards are full in case I can't get out tomorrow.

Coffee and cruellers at Jeanne's house this morning. Her house is just so cozy in the morning. She has been working on a pretty big order that needs to be mailed out today. Of course, she had what she needed EXCEPT for one page of a pattern. Since it was the heart of the pattern, I spent a few minutes re-writing it yesterday and she is "good to go" today.

Tomorrow I will be helping to entertain my 2 oldest grandkids for the day and a New Year Eve's sleepover. I think I will convince Bree to help me organize those project bags in the studio and see what I can find for her to work on along the way. Bree has her own little sewing basket and is usually ready to jump into whatever new projects I have on the drawing board. She loves to help organize things and that is just what the sewing room needs.

Is it 2009 yet?

Jeanne and I spent time yesterday morning pulling out all of our notes and tried to focus on what hasn't been done in 2008. The object (I think) was to start to focus our minds on 2009 and what our big projects will be. By the time we had worked our way through 2 cups of coffee and a few Christmas cookies (she makes great cookies!), we each had a couple of pages of scribbles and no clear path from 2008 to 2009.

So we have planned to meet again this coming week and take advantage of a few more days off around New Year's Day and do more planning. In the meantime, I am going to spend an hour or so in the studio looking at all the bags I have with half-finished/maybe not even really started projects. I hope to show all the bags to Jeanne so we can talk about whether there is a true project to finish inside or if the bag should be thrown away or given to someone else to finish or play with. And, maybe I'll actually straighten out some of the fabric down there and see what looks new because I forgot I have it!

We had a wonderful Christmas and hope you did too. Last night was a family gathering to watch the band my daughter-in-law sings with-it was fun and we laughed a lot. Not a bad way to end Christmas week. Let us know what you are planning for your 2009-we'd love to hear what projects you are planning to start OR what projects you'd like to begin with our help.

Christmas Eve Day

We wish you all the most wonderful Christmas Holiday. Our families will get together tomorrow. It seems a little strange to not be celebrating today-my own kids and grandkids usually open presents on Christmas Eve Day. But work schedules make that impossible this year. So we will begin the festivities tomorrow at 1 and run through the evening with families coming over at various times. We are hopeful that we don't get totally blasted by the 3-5 inches of snow anticipated.

May this Holiday season see you and your loved ones happy and healthy. We'll be back on the weekend-by then we should feel like pulling out the fabric and starting new projects. Right now...there is a Christmas stocking I need to finish before Santa arrives!

It's STill Snowing!

Will whoever is shaking the snow globe with me inside it, please STOP??? Since Friday morning it has been pretty well snowing constantly. I got out to do some Christmas shopping (as did Jeanne-maybe she found something for ME??) and it started up again as soon as I got back on the highway. I was supposed to go to a Holiday Ballroom Dance tonight but the roads are snow-covered so my dear husband decided we were safer on the couch. Not sure if he is right but it is STILL SNOWING and shows no signs of stopping.

Of course, that means that the Christmas tree and all the lights look wonderful and it is very inspiring to be trying to finish a stocking for my newest grandchild. Julia Grace, only 5 months old, won't recognize her name on the stocking this time but she will be able to be told that the stocking was hanging near her little brother's and her cousins from her first Christmas on. That's a good Grandma thing!

I checked out the February 2009 issue of Create and Decorate today. Our 2 designs-a needle punch heart and The Man in the Moon-look great. The photography is wonderful and the whole magazine looks mighty fine. Be sure to check it out!

Snowed in! and Create and Decorate Magazine Out!

Well, it is snowing out so much that I feel like I live inside a snow globe. I drove by Jeanne's house on the way to my office and her driveway is completely plowed in. I don't think she'll dig out all day! The roads were clear but the snow is something fierce with blowing wind. It will be interesting to see how many inches we end up with. Schools are called off which starts Christmas vacation early for my grandkids..I am sure they are thrilled!

Jeanne and I just learned that the February 2009 issue of Create and Decorate magazine is on the shelves and features two of our designs. One is a needle punch Valentine's Day heart decoration and the other is a papier mache Santa and Star. We had lots of fun creating these and hope you enjoy them!

Almost the weekend

It's 2 degrees below zero and we have about 20 inches of snow. Winter is definitely here and so I'm going through the studio trying to find more quilts and stuffs to bring into the rest of the house to stay cozy. Of course, what is cozier than a big fluffy pillow made of flannet with Santa's face on???? Look right to see a great and easy pattern to make up to bring warmth and comfort to those cold winter nights. You'll love making "Naughty or Nice"-found in our Christmas patterns on our web site.

Both Jeanne and I had Christmas programs to go to last night for grandkids. It was Jeanne's first program with kindegartners. Her 6 year old twin grandsons had a great time and it sounds like Jeanne was smiling through the whole thing. I watched my 12 year old grandson play the trumpet in his first Middle School band concert. I have to say that "Nutcracker Suite" was good and all songs were fully recognizable! Next week is my granddaughter's program-I am sure it will be equally as good. What a fun time to be a grandparent.

Keep stitching-only 13 days until Santa arrives. Are you ready????

Busy Weekend plus Stitching!

What a wonderful weekend at my house! We are fully decorated now-it snowed Saturday night at our Christmas Village-a wonderful event where whatever grand kids are around add snow to the roads and houses. Winston, 4 years old, did the honors this year and it was so exciting to watch. I had forgotten that the Village looks very different from the height of a 4 year old-he found places to put snow that I never even knew existed!

On Sunday I went dancing with my favorite dance partner and we got to do the Swing to "Jingle Bell Rock" as well as waltz divinely (in my eyes at least!) to a great waltzy version of "Silver Bells". The evening was capped off by a horse-drawn carriage ride through the town park which is filled with lights and animation for Christmas. When a great pair of friends called with the invitation, we were quick to yell "yes we want to go!" It snowed and was perfect as we huddled under the thick robes in the carriage.

But in spite of all that seasonal busy-ness, there was still time for stitching. I finished putting buttons on a version of our Care Quilt so it will be ready to take new photos and post the pattern. This is the perfect quilt to make up quickly to show someone that you care-it is just the right size to cover someone sitting in a recliner or laying on a couch while recovering from an illness or going through treatments. And, best of all, you can stitch in "care" with each piece of fabric.

Last but not least, I have added a picture of another of our Christmas patterns to peek at. Check out our web site for more!

Christmas Craft Night

I had a wonderful evening with my grand-daughter last night working on Christmas crafts. The local university had a free community night at the Union where students in the elementary education program hosted a night of fun crafts. From decorating cookies to making reindeer ornaments out of bells, pipe cleaners, and candy canes, to ornaments with paper and yarn-it was charming! Everyone got into the act and we had just enough of the decorated cookies to have a pleasant sugar high by the end of the evening.

I am having so much fun decorating the house with our many Christmas designs. Take a peek to the right of this to see what I hung up yesterday! Isn't it charming? Again, the design if from a vintage Christmas card. Jeanne is just so good at adapting what we find at antique stores. After we do the research to date them (so we are sure that is no copyright issue), the fun begins as we decide what they will become. This one turned out perfectly! See the pattern on our web site if you'd like and don't forget to click on the free pattern!

December free pattern ready!

Be sure to go to our web site to download the new December pattern motif. It is a simple "feather tree" to use in your last minute Christmas gifting. We think you will love the flexibility it gives you to be creative-don't forget that you can add beading, little charms, or buttons to give it your special touch! Go to free patterns to see it. Also we have continued our great Yo Yo Maker give away through December. Place any order for a pattern (excludes the freebies!) and we'll include a Clover Yo Yo Maker as our gift to you.

I'm having fun this Christmas using all our whimsical designs to decorate my house. I'll be high-lighting some of the designs here on our blog through out the month. I decided to start with our Kris Kringle. He is adapted from a vintage Christmas card in Jeanne's collection. Isn't he charming? I've made him into both a pillow and a small wall-hanging using tea-dyed fabric and lovely deep green fabric. He hangs in my kitchen this year.