Hello December!! Take a good look at the box. WE ROAR!! This has been quite the year. We have made it to the last month and although our Roaring 20's beginning was not quite what we had hoped for, it has had some definite good come from it. Take some time to help your spirit this month. Count your blessings. Allow your own heart to ROAR with joy. You've earned it. I know I have. We are only a month away from a brand new theme and year. It'll happen --- and we'll share another journey together.
If you are new to the blog, you may be asking, "just what is a monthly update?" I decided long ago that I just can't keep up with blogging daily. I just can't. Sooooo, what happens is I document a day in my life within one post and if something special happens, a separate post takes place. See, you can stay caught up with a once a month check and then, if you're interested, see the other posts too. It's a great system for me.
In years past, I have set goals for each month and I will continue to do that simply to keep myself on track. I AM still in UFO mode around here and trying oh so hard to use or clean out the stash. It will be an ongoing project this year. If I want something to come in -- something has to go out. That is one goal. The balances change each month (hopefully) and will always show up at the bottom of the update if you read that far - and they are joined by links to the previous monthly updates for the year.
Now, grab a cuppa and sit back for a fun read and perhaps a new idea or two. (P.S. I format on a computer, so if you are reading on a phone, well sometimes the pictures will be before or after the story. It is what it is.)
So --- here's December and all the wonderful fun it provided. Please remember that any links in here will open in a separate window so that you can keep your place on this page at the same time and there are no ads or popups EVER.
1st - With December's arrival, the date for my annual party draws closer. I am attempting to buckle down this month and be a bit more productive with my time. Today, the plan is to gather all the necessary supplies for the ornament craft, make a sample, and wrap the scissors ornament that I purchased for the exchange. Upon completion, It feels so amazing to have these items marked off the list. It also gets me a BINGO mark right off the bat for "make a holiday craft." That is the good part of today. The rest --- well between finishing the den decorations, cleaning up the kitchen, cleaning the bathroom, and pulling the range away from the wall in readiness for tomorrow, well, let's just say that dinner and wine were perfect!!!
2nd - Morning arrival of the new range occupied a LOT of our time. It was delivered and installed before we spent the rest of the day burning off the plastic smell.
Isn't she just so pretty. Oh, my sweet Mister did sooooo well.
The remainder of my day is spent working on printing the cookie recipe cards and putting them in holders for everyone's notebooks.
Finding my bedroom is a challenge but it happens along with cleaning out a cabinet so that I can set up a computer/monitor near my sewing machine. In order to clear the space that would go, I had to empty a cabinet of recipe books, rehome/release (the stack on the chair is leaving) them, and move items to the cabinet they had been in. BINGO mark.
The ones I've retained (for now) are in a new cabinet and will be gone through once again. I know this isn't a drawer, but I'm counting it anyway. I may still get an actual drawer done this month, but I'm pleased this much has happened. (Just for clarification --- under the orange BC book are quilt magazines and the stack you can barely see on the left is also more quilt books. Yes - this is temporary.)
With the master bedroom being finished as well, the house is closer to being ready for fun.
3rd - It's a kitchen extravaganza day. I guess the way to break in a new oven and learn about it is to run 20 dozen cookies through it. That is my day. I have baked cookies ALL day and I love the way the new convection oven works. All of my treats are boxed and ready for exchange before I call it quits. Oh -- BINGO mark for baking cookies.
4th - Grassy Creek #2 has released this morning and I haven't even started #1. I'll get caught up, just not today. My day consisted of finishing all decorating and setting up for the party. As I was looking for red napkin rings, I discovered that one of that was losing the beads. Well, dang it. It doesn't take long and I have it rebeaded and ready to go. This required a needle and thread so . . . . BINGO mark. Mister and I finish the tree in the evening while I'm baking cinnamon rolls and cooking all the bacon for the party. The fruit salad even is completed before I call it quits for the night. The house is ready and here is a House LINK to tour it and see all the fun Christmas is to me.
5th - An early rise to finish the last minute stuff for today and then the party starts. Here is the Party LINK so you can peek in on all of our fun. Otherwise --- my take-aways from the ornament exchange and these amazing faces of those I love.
Jen stayed over and we watched Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square netting me another BINGO mark. If I can get one a day, I'll feel pretty good this month.
6th - The day after a major event is always a lazy day for me. I did manage to put away all remnants of the party and so a little retreat organizing, Mister and I watched a movie in the afternoon --- Stranger Than Fiction. It was really just day together. Thought maybe I'd share a few of the quilts around the house.
Woohoo --- I've even managed to receive a second BINGO mark today. This sweet picture of the snowman on my porch. Perfect.
7th - One wee in and I'm still making progress. I shared a recipe and a funny in the group, netting me 2 more BINGO marks. The link to my cinnamon rolls was shared along with this fun post.
So, did anything quilty happen today?? Well, now that you've asked - YES! I worked on my 2021 goals regarding sewing/crafts. Yes, this is another BINGO item. It's amazing how much one can accomplish with the help of that little card.
Meanwhile, out on the porch ---- the aloe vera plant is blooming.
Our evening activity is the Vitruvian Light Festival. This is a newer holiday tradition for us, but still one that works for BINGO. Please check out this Vitruvian LINK to share in all the beauty of the evening. Magical, truly.
8th - Fall has finally hit my yard. It took awhile, but the trees are pure gold.
Mister has decided that today is the day to try the new griddle on our range. Pancakes it is. Another perfect score. It's a keeper.
Some time at the lake is next and I'm always ready for that. Here is the LINK and I heartily encourage you to check it out. I just giggled and giggled at these pelicans. A stop for lunch out then home to work on yard and blog a bit.
A late afternoon trip down to Manhattan Project and a chance to enjoy the beautiful weather together. I have never met a MP beer that I don't like. They just know how to do it right.
On the way home, the sunset on downtown earns me a BINGO mark.
9th - Starting out the morning right, I have three batches of Chex mix going in the kitchen and I want to cut parts 1 and 2 for Grassy Creek. But first --- I have brought out my well-worn cutting mat, a gum eraser, my rotary cutter, and a new blade.
A quick change of the blade and then I take the eraser to all the lines (this pic was taken part way through the task so it doesn't look like I did them all).
A trip outside to shake the mat off and back in we come. Not bad for a 10 minute task. It's time to go stir the Chex Mix and I have 2 more BINGO marks.
Onto the mystery! I have separate posts for Grassy Creek stuff and the Part 1 LINK and Part 2 LINK's can be found by doing the click thing right on those links. I even receive another BINGO mark for starting this mystery. Woot woot.
My last task for today is to make peanut brittle. I have used the same recipe for years and years and years. This time, a post to share it is available with a click of this LINK. A fourth BINGO mark is received and it's been a fun, productive day. I need more like this.
10th - A day of bill paying, blogging, sewing and cooking. Yep, this has been a great day too. The first item - okay not so fun, but the rest were. I completed parts 1 and 2 of Grassy Creek. Such a tray of happy sunshine.
I finished the finished applique work on my Christmas ornament wall hanging skinnie and found fabrics for January's snowman.
Dinner is a new item. I bought a Delicata Squash am excited to give it a try. Here is the Recipe LINK and we loved them. BINGO mark for today.
Now to settle in and watch a show with Mister. We are making our way through the newest season of The Kominsky Method. While watching, all dog ears are trimmed and the threads for my ornament project are tied off.
11th - Grassy Creek #3 is posted and I am on task. That is my main focus, along with laundry, for the day. How long do you think it stayed my main focus? Not long enough. I got the laundry started and then set up the cutting area. The parts for Grassy Creek came next and then I remembered that I needed to cut backings and batting for the January snowman so I did that while the cutting area was set up. To follow along with Grassy Creek, here's your LINK. Next on my machine is a bag of black strings and I want to take care of them before sewing this weeks clue. I don't need a lot, just about 14" across a paper. Quick and easy.
12th - I am a blogging unit today. It is an absolutely beautiful morning and the trees out front almost appear to be on fire.
Noticing a post in the group where someone is trying to locate a certain fabric, I am struck with the fact that I have it. What are the odds? It's not something I would have bought so it must have come in a bundle from a few years ago. At any rate, I'm happy to share.
Now, what to do today? My cards REALLY need to be started and since it takes a bit of time for each one, perhaps I'll set a goal of about 1/4 of them for this morning. That seems doable. Yes, a table would make more sense, but . . .
Mister is a couch potato today and I'm perfectly okay with that. It's his vacation day and he can spend it however he wishes. There is a bonus to him just hanging out --- I get to sew a bit. The wall hanging gets sandwiched and borders are on through a quilt-as-you-go method. During this week, I have also managed to make quite a few BAD blocks as my leader/enders. Thought perhaps it was time for a picture. Yellow is the color right now. Now, back to spending time together.
13th - I bought red canvas fabric to make a bench pad cover and 2 pillow covers for Mister for Christmas --- it's his bench. He bought the bench pre-me and we have changed the pad numerous times. This time, a bright red one for Christmas seems appropriate but I don't want to buy a new pad, just cover the old one. No, I don't have a pattern so lots of math is taking place along with a tremendous amount of finger crossing. This is what I have to start with and my first step is the ironing board.
Next, the weather is about to turn nasty and we have a ton of basil. Some is cut and brought into the house for window plants, but some goes into homemade pesto. Here is the Pesto LINK so you can follow along and see how easy it is to make. Yum, it's what's for dinner.
From there our hunt for bottles to put the ginger beer in and tins for cookies begins. It takes us three stores (one of which is a liquor store where they take our temperature to shop), but we have what we set out for --- and several other items as well. Isn't that how it works? An oven thermometer, some Southern Comfort, and a couple more things make it into the house with us. Things really need to start leaving the house again. I feel another purge coming on.
16th - I am up early and have packaged up the last box to mail. The grocery store and post office are both visited before 9 and all my gifts are now in transit except the ones I'm hand delivering on Sunday. I have turkey soup going (Thanksgiving carcass merrily boiling away) and it's time for a check on the ginger beer. It looks good and some of the ginger is starting to fall and we can see little bubbles of fermentation beginning to form at the top.
Paula arrives for a play day or two and I am able to check another BINGO square off. We make candy together and just visit/watch movies. Her first candy is a carmel, pecan, chocolate-covered cluster and they are so easy to make that I'll give them a go next year.
One of the reasons for the visit is to learn how to make peanut brittle (if you missed the Recipe LINK above on the 9th, here is another chance) and it gives me a chance to take the missing pictures for my blog post. She did great and has a whole pan of delightful treats to take home to JP.
Some hand hand quilting on my UFO next me another BINGO square marked off. I have hopes of completing the card this month. Progress is progress.
17th - A wonderful morning breakfast and visit and Paula was on her way home all too soon. It's Air BNB (feels that way today) time as the bedroom linens are changed out and everything is readied for tonight's guest. Once all the chores are complete, I am able to take apart a machine and give her a complete cleaning/oiling and myself another BINGO mark. She looks all pretty and ready to play now.
Samantha is not arriving until this evening so I settle in to make my Farm Girl blocks for January. I like to stay ahead of the group when I am hosting and this way my post is ready to go. These are just so fun and I have 5 completed (well, almost as one needs hand embroidery) before stopping to make dinner for Mister and myself. I made Salmon and Spinach in Phyllo and these are just oh so good. Years ago I did a blog post with the recipe and you can find it with this LINK. Some quiet t.v. time before Sam arrives and we burn the midnight oil visiting.
18th - It's Friday and that means that Grassy Creek #4 is posted and ready to begin. Here is the Part 4 LINK to all my fun with it. Now, I am up early and have made fresh scones and am starting to cut the parts for the mystery when Sam rises. Let the fun begin.
I finish cutting all my parts for the clue --- a pretty tray of neutrals and grays -- before deciding to finish yesterday's project prior to sewing these.
I have two blocks remaining and knowing how quick it went yesterday, well this will be done in no time. HA! The star block did go quick but the horse -- not so much. FOUR hours. Oh my. This requires me to look at the books again and I discover that it is pretty much the hardest one there. Okay, it's out of the way now. Phew! I still have some embroidery to do on it as well, but for today, I'm ready to move on.
Dinner first --- and tonight I am trying a new brat recipe that turns out oh so good even though I changed it up a bit and we added rice. So yummy and fun time together.19th - Good morning!!! It's quiet in the house when I rise so I quickly go out to the studio for a little bit of applique work. I've allotted myself about half an hour before starting breakfast and coffee and manage to get the head and most of the snowflake finished in that time. Oh, and that was after a quick clean up of the room as Sam wants to see it.
20th - Today is a travel day and we are off to Abilene to deliver gifts for the kids before they start their ski trip to Montana. A little hand work in the car has the embroidery on my two Farm Girl blocks completed. That means the cat is finished, but the horse still needs buttons for the pail. Tomorrow, tomorrow, there's always tomorrow -- it's only a day away. You're welcome for the ear worm.
21st - I have gathered up all of my gifted and purchased embellishments for Farm Girl and am ready to complete the last block. Once the little buttons are on the horse's pail, I get to call January's blocks complete and ready for the post. Whew. I loved making them so much and I'm already excited for February's blocks. Here are all 7 of blocks together.
22nd - Out of the house!!! Yes, it's a requirement. We know there is a pandemic around us, but fresh air and movement are contributing to keeping us healthy. It CAN be done without risk. Here is a LINK to our wonderful day. We started out with fog,
23rd - Some shopping in the morning and a hunt for fresg green beans ensues, requiring several stores to be visited. ARGH. Success -- they are located and I'm home again. It's also laundry day and I have found a treasure trove in the machine. Apparently someone didn't empty his pockets as he thought. Do I get to keep? That used to the be rule when I was raising children. No, instead I have been accused of "money laundering." Funny man. Next step for today is a change. I'm done with this mop on my head. Please ignore the wrinkly face in this pose. Hard to drive and take a picture at the same time. Oh please, I KNOW it's not safe. I'm at a stop sign and trying to keep my eyes on the road.
Now, out to the studio. I want to see some progress on a couple of projects. First, my snowman needs the applique finished and I want to work on the dragonfly a bit before our weather changes. One is finished and the other has a lot of progress on one wing. This will have to happen in bits and pieces. An hour here or there will get the job done, but it'll take many hours. That's okay, keeps me moving forward.
24th - Happy Christmas Eve!! My morning is spent quilting the snowman and putting the binding/hanging sleeve on. Once Mister is off work, we become couch potatoes. Two holiday movies, lots of Great British Baking Show Christmas episodes.
Today and tomorrow are rather hard on me and my sweetheart knows how to keep me on a even keel. It makes it sound like I'm an alcoholic, but in reality, one beer now and then or one drink now and then is my limit. I rarely do more. I know all the pictures seem to make that a different story, but it's not. Today is a different story. Baileys in my coffee, prosecco when Mister gets off work, and a wine/cheese dinner keep me going.
All throughout the day, while watching shows, I have been stitching the binding down and adding the button and embroidery embellishments to my snowman. He is TA-DONE! I have to admit --- so stinking cute.
25th - The day has finally arrived and here is the Merry Christmas!! LINK. I so hope that this finds everyone taking a minute or two to truly count your blessings and remember all the good that is in your life each day. This is a hard time for me each year as I'm far from my children and grands, but talking to all and sharing in laughter certainly helps. My children presented me with a professionally taken photo of the 5 of them and it's simply wonderful. Tears of joy.
Mister and spent a wonderful day together and even made a Yorkshire Pudding to go with a magnificent dinner. I've hauled out an ancient UFO to attempt a BINGO card completion as I'm only lacking one square. We'll see how it goes. Oh, hauling it out and setting up is as far as I get.
26th - Grassy Creek #5 is out today and I'm working away on it. You can follow along in this LINK.
It's also another clean up the yard moment as the neighbors trees just keep emptying and the bulk pickup hasn't happened yet due to the holiday. It's a beautiful day to be in the yard, but I dislike leaves at this point. The pile is just growing.
27th - The Dallas Arboretum and nearby White Rock Lake Monk Parakeets are the fun for today. This A Day of Beauty LINK will take you along with us.
I literally stopped to smell the roses and this huge one kept me coming back for seconds and thirds. Oh so wonderful.
Another display at the Arboretum is the Christmas Village and inside one of the little buildings, I spotted this quaint scene. I wish it was a real shop as Mister could use a new hat, but it's just for show and doesn't look as though men's accessories are included.
28th - My sweetheart is back at work today (first Monday in quite awhile) and I have the entire day to sew. I have given myself the "you can do this" pep talk and my Judy Neimeyer place-mats are about to see some definite progress. All four of the first half are sewn and ready to trim by the time several hours have passed.
By the time I call it a day, the next set of halves are laid out and ready for tomorrow. I just can't look at little lines anymore today.
30th - Mister is cooking a turkey dinner and I'm sewing both parts of my place mats together while it bakes. Once that is finished, I cut batting and backings and sandwich all four. Locating three colors of thread, I start in on the first leaf to quilt. The first side of all four gets quilted, then a change of thread and the second side of ONE is done. I need a "learner" one from here on, I think.
I'm doing a simple quilting -- just outlining the lighter area on one side and the darker on the other along with stitching down the vein.
Once the first one is finished, an examination takes place
And then . . . . trimming.
I still have threads to bury and binding to add, but they are getting there.
Remember earlier when I said the waste gets to me on these patterns. Well, I took a sample picture of just a few pieces that were cut. ALL were similar. The entire paper is what was required to be cut out. The small area pictured on each piece is what is actually used. Now, see my point? What is left is not even decent for strings. End of whine.
31st - It's New Year's Eve and it usually brings me a time of reflection on the past year. For the first time in my life, I TRULY didn't want to look back. This year has been oh so challenging BUT I have found that if we TRULY look, we can always find blessings and ways we have grown. It has been a year of honestly valuing family and friends. We've discovered how very much that time together means. It means so much more than the new car that we rarely drive or the expensive shoes that go nowhere as well. 2020 definitely created a roar, just not the one we had all hoped for. I will treasure EVERY interaction that took place, good and bad, for they all allowed me to grow and become a better person. It's a long road still ahead of me, but I believe that's why I am still here on this planet. I'm not done being molded and need to take each opportunity that comes my way as a chance to lone one another with all my heart. I AM looking forward to the new year and all that it will bring -- good and not so good. I have the most amazing family and friends to guide me though. I AM strong and will continue to channel Helen Reddy once again this year. I AM ready to start. Come along with me. Happy New Year to all!!
For my last day of the month/year, I am trying oh so hard to complete my BINGO card. For that, these place mats are definitely on the agenda. As soon as breakfast is behind us, I'm at the machine and the quilting/trimming is complete.
That means my BINGO card is also complete. Woohoo!!
Hello January and 2021!! I know I speak for everyone that we are taking a collective breath and crossing fingers and toes for a less stressful year. One of the things I discovered in 2020 was that taking stock of our own capabilities turned out to be a blessing in many ways. I think as a nation we discovered one another - friends and family - again and have come out stronger for it. This year let's have that continue with looks inward. I AM!!!! What does that mean? For me -- it gives me a chance to add a word behind it each month. To perhaps take on a challenge that I have put off or feared. To step outside the box and show strength. There are many times last year when I was writing the monthly themes and Helen Reddy came to mind. Losing her in September only intensified it. When I think of "roaring" she comes to mind - I am woman, hear me roar??? We've done the last part of that sentence, let's try the first part --- I AM _________. Fill in the blanks each month. It can be with more than one word --- it can relate to our craft of quilting or go more personal. I'll try each month to share one of each to keep y'all involved in my own process.
Are you ready? I AM READY!!! Bring on 2021 and all that it entails.
UFO's to quilt:
BOM #2 - quilted and bound
BOM #3 - quilted and bound
Winter Wonderland - quilted and bound
Current Projects:
Quarantine Challenge - Quilted and bound
UFO Items for This Month:
SIX Whims blocks (QAYG) and put it all together!!!
Some Neutral strings -
1 Row by Row block (Finish dragonfly) -
BAD blocks as leader/enders - Half a dozen yellow ones finished
Stash Buster project (yep, it is moved here now) -
JN Placemats for my BINGO card - ✔ TA-DONE
UFO Handwork Items:
Hand Quilting -- roll the quilt once - Didn't roll it, but I did make progress
Links to Previous 2020 Monthly Posts:
January 2020
February 2020
March 2020
April 2020
May 2020
June 2020
July 2020
August 2020
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