Merry Christmas...Oh what fun it is...

 How much fun is it to have little ones in the family again.  My nieces and nephew are all in their 20's or 30's now, and now that one of them has children Christmas is soo much more fun.  We had Christmas at my mom's house on Christmas eve.  That way the little ones have christmas morning at home which is at it should be.  My niece, Denise, was home from New York and we got to meet her current boyfriend.  He seems to be a really nice guy.


Jack

This was the first time Jack was wearing dress pants, and something must have felt off about them, because he walked around all evening pulling up both or alternately one leg or the other up to his knees.  He couldn't quite explain what felt odd about them.

Miss Molly

That Dukes of Hazzard girl and her Aunt Jen



Jason, Denise and Uncle Mike

Hurry up Uncle Daryl.  I want my new dolly.

This was the snowman I got at the MSU Union Craft Show in November.  He hangs by the back door.

This week I am off between Christmas and New Years.  I have to get 2 new tires for the truck and have decided to have an aftermarket remote started put on the truck.  I would like to get some serious sewing done on a couple of quilts and machine quilt Jack's quilt.  I also need to get back on track with my training and weight loss.

I also need to get out to Ovid to the local Western shop to get some boots to wear this summer on a wagon train trip out west.  They need to be well broken in so I figure I should get started now.



Holidays

Such a busy time of year.  Monday night was the Christmas meeting for the Charm and Daughters of Charm group. We had the judging of the Attic Window challenge that Daisy had put out.  Kate and Mary Edgar came and assigned ribbons to each of the quilts.

Then Tuesday night was the Variable Star christmas party.  We are getting to be a smaller group.  Marge now lives in Minnesota and Dian moved to Florida.  Barb was snowed in at the cottage so there were 8 of us for the party.

We had plenty of good food.  Then the fun with block exchange and christmas gifts.  These were the 2 blocks that I had made for Becky.

For our Christmas gift exchange this year, were supposed to bring a hand made items in a brown paper bag.  When we started with one person and she picked any bag other than her own.  Here are the results:

Wendy got this tin of Melanie's home made carmel corn.

Pam picked out a bag made by Claudia.



Claudia picked the table runner I had made.



Becky got this beautiful pillow made by Jo.



Jo received this wonder water color by Roxie.



Melanie got this beautiful quilt made by Pam.

I got a beautiful stained glass calediscope that Becky made.

All in all it was a wonderful evening.

Pline Christmas

Today was my mother's side of the family christmas party.  She comes from a large family and I remember my grandmother saying that she and my grandfather had no guess what they has started when them married.  What they started was a huge family.  My mother was the second oldest of 12 children.  She has lost 3 siblings, Martin, Daniel and Diana.

We long ago outgrew having the party at someone's home.  By the 1960's we were having the Christmas party at the Jaycee's hall and various other locations.  Now we hold it at the local Conservation Club.  Each year 2 of the siblings and their families are responsible for putting the party together.  This year was my mother and her youngest brother, Tony's turn.  Although it takes a good amount of work it is worth it.  My youngest brother played Santa today and I think he rather enjoyed it.

I also made what I think, even if I say to myself, the picture perfect cherry pie.  You judge,

Enjoy your families and hold them close to your heart.

Happy Thanksgiving

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday.  As my nieces and nephew have gotten older the holidays has changed for us. One off to spend the holiday with in-laws, one with future in-laws, one with a boyfriends family and the past in New York who will hopefully be home at Christmas.  So what to do for the holiday.  My mom decided that we should go to Thanksgiving dinner at the local VFW.  They were putting on a free

community dinner where people could make a donation. Mike and Carole joined us and we walked over.  You were served a plate with turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, beans, cranberries, coleslaw and a slice of bread.  And then also had a table of desserts.  It was nice.

When I got to mom's this morning she was already baking her mother's sugar cookie recipe.  I brought a batch of refrigerator cookies. So we baked them up as well.  Later in the afternoon Pamela, Ken and the kids stopped by to see grandma.

Then today we made chocolate dipped pretzels. Put up garland on the back porch, my baby sled in her bay window with packages, and christmas tree up and decorated.  And we stuck in a quick trip to Lake Odessa to the quilt show and a really nice gift shop.

Saturday and Sunday I need to get some sewing done.  Christmas gift to finish, block exchange block to finish and maybe make some peppermint bark.  Whew I just realized I didn't get my nap this afternoon, well tomorrow I can sleep in.

Happy holidays.

Best money I've ever spent. . .

Since my knee has been giving me trouble, I haven't really gotten my fall clean up done outside.  All the leaves are finally of my neighbor's maple and mine, but I haven't even gotten started.  Fortunately there has been a break in the weather.  So last week I made the decision to hire my fall clean up done.  I went with Smith Floral which I consider to be my local florist and plant provider.  Monday when I came home to see that a phenominal job had been done.  Leaves all raked to the front yard,all the perennials (and I do mean all) cut back, planters cleaned out.  I couldn't have wished for a better job done.  Here are a few pics.

I guess this means I have more time to sew.



Block Exchange

Finished this month's block exchange block.  This month was Jo's block, Card Trick, in christmas fabrics.

Tomorrow night is Charm group and the grand opening of Daisy's new three season room.  Maybe seeing her new space will encourage to seriously get into the planning of a new kitchen in my home.  My kitchen is the original 50+ year old kitchen.  It is really past due for more than a facelift.  But so many decisions to make: flooring, cabinets, countertops, backsplash. But I think I'm up to the challenge.

Clean up begins

Well this morning at 7 am the trucks and loaders were here loading up all the broken houses that got torn down yesterday.  I'm waiting for lots of calls back from people like the zoning department, etc.  I would just like some answers as to what is going to happen to the properties.

I have the pillow cases made by our small quilt group to donate to a local charity.  I believe we made something like 63 of them this year.  Will try to remember to take a picture of them before dropping them off.

Shocked and dismayed

I live is an older south central Lansing neighborhood, close to Ingham Medical Hospital.  For several years 5 houses across the street from me have been empty. I think as many as 4 of them were owned by a doctor or the hospital and one, a lady had owned, who recently passed away.  Now they weren't great homes.  Three were built on slabs but 2 did have basements and were pretty good houses, but they were homes.  Albeit one had been a drug house for a while and then a prostitute ran her business out of one, but they weren't commercial properties.  So tonight I was surprised when I drove down my street I was greeted by this sight.

It was very sad to see.  I immediately grabbed my camera and went to take pictures.  Several cars stopped and asked me what had happened to the houses, and we talked.  My deepest fear right now is that the hospital has bought the properties and torn them down to make way for a medical center.

When I bought my home 23 years ago I remember some of the old timers in the neighborhood telling me about a doctor who had bought some of these properties and had wanted to build a medical center but the neighbors rallied and they were able to stop it. That was probably back in the 70's.  I'm afraid this is more than someone wanting to pay taxes on vacant land instead of buildings.  But if something other than homes are buitd here, how detrimental is that going to be to my home's value.  The home that I just paid the mortgage off on.!!*&  I suddenly have a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Well, wha'st done is done.  I will have to renew some of my contact at city hall and see what is planned.  The neighborhood watch may have a new battle to get involved in.  Although if a building is planned I imagine it is much too late.  The saga will continue.

Fabric & quilt block

Tomorrow night is Variable Stars.  We have lots of business to take care of.  Pillow cases to donate to a local charity, and blocks for the block exchange.  I also have show and tell of some feed sack fabrics that I got at an estate sale a couple of weeks ago.


These are the feed sacks I got at an estate sale.  I especially like the pint polka dot ladies.




Pillow cases



This is 4 of Roxie's block.  She asked for 1800's reproductions and 4 blocks.  No sure how they will all go together this is just a random layout guessing what she might have in mind.

Tomorrow I get to have a EMG test to figure out why I keep having numbness and tingling in my left arm.  I've heard the test is painful, but most women handle it well.  Guess we are more paint tolerant!

West Michigan Quilt Show

Saturday was the day that I think 1/2 of our guild went to the West Michigan Guild Show, Quilts on the Grand.  West Michigan does a great job with their show. I brought my mom and 2 of her friends to the show.  All three ladies quilt on quilts for St. Patrick's Parish so they are always looking for ideas. I like WMQG's guild booth where they sell every manner of items related to quilting donated by their members.  There were books, quilts, quilts tops, fabrics, magazines. I picked up a few fat quarters from the guild booth. From Everlasting Stitches from Holt, I picked up the new Miss Rosie's Spice of Life Quilts book by Carrie Nelson.

Here are a few photos from the show.  I especially liked an exhibit they had of antique red and green applique quilts.  I'll put those up first.

I think all of us took a picture of this one.  So much fun



I really liked the border on this quilt.  I have never put a pieced or appliqued border on my quilts but would like to start considering it.

After the show we got lunch  and headed home.  Then mom and I finished putting the borders on an embroidered quilt that she finished.  Last weekend we pieced the blocks together and but the borders.  Then on Saturday we finished piecing it.  Once she gets the backing she'll be able to put it up.  She was hoping to get it up before a lot of quilter's head south for the winter.  But right now there are 3 church circle quilts up so it looks like it might be just she and I working on it.  But that's ok, more quality time with mom.