Winter in New England

Hello Friends ~
Yes, Winter is really here... we have about 24" on the flat, with about an inch/hr today and more to come over the weekend and next week.   
But yesterday was a beautiful, sunny winter day, so I did get out a bit. 

Here's the barn from the road:

I love my new boots...

But, today...

 Remember, the photo of our Christmas Tree in my last post ?   Here it is now...

So life goes on in New England and I'm "in" again today... but that's OK, my resource center aka "stash" is loaded, I have electricity and tea - so I'm all good... 
And I promise... my next post will include a photo of my most recent finished project.

And sew on ~

Jeanne

Dedecking the Halls

Christmas 2010 was very special for me b/c my li'l sister, Laurie, was here with us.    It's been three and a half years since we've seen each other and eleven years since we spent Christmas together.   This is only one of the reasons why stowing away Christmas is particularly difficult this year...

Taking down the tree is literal at our house - we hang our tree from the beams.   Sure beats those awful contraptions, in which the tree never stands straight.      So, anyway, the tree is back outside, where it belongs, propped up to look natural, until dear husband gets the ax and chipper out in the spring !   Lovely thought... 

  

Each year, I set up our Lang Folk Art Village and since my dear 3-year old granddaughter still has Christmas in her eyes and, mostly, because change is not easy for me, it's still displayed on my Grandpa's antique desk...



But the boxes are ready anytime I am... 



It is winter, even though we don't have much of that white stuff (so little, that my dear husband used his leaf blower to clear the dusting on the driveway yesterday - Yes, that wasn't a typo, he used his leaf blower), so the snow people and a little Christmas reminder remain on my kitchen window sill...

A few years ago, at one of those after Christmas sales, I bought this Jim Shore music box...

Just so you know I did do some stitching during the holidays, here's a (Holly Taylor, Northwoods Botanical) Li'l Twister Wreath, that WILL be completed this week...

And I am working on the projects for the new #10 Jo's Little Women Club (first meeting January 27).   Amy's Choice quilt top completed yesterday...

So, life goes on, even though I'm not ready for it to, and the snow will come, but I will keep the holiday decor out as long as I can get away with it because memories of Christmases Past warm my heart.

And Sew On...

Jeanne 







Preparing for Christmas

Teddy Bear Tea at Four Seasons, Boston was quite the affair.   Two grandmothers, a mother and two little girls.   What a fun day !

Meghan, Ashley and Eileen

Sunday my dear friends and I spent the afternoon at the Concord Museum, Concord, MA - we viewed the Family Christmas Trees and a special antique quilt exhibit.  
http://www.concordmuseum.org/explore/current_exhibitions.html
We then found our way to the Colonial Inn for Afternoon Tea...
Although it poured rain all day, being with friends made the day very relaxing and enjoyable.   http://www.concordscolonialinn.com/


Until noon last Wednesday, I had no idea how or when I would finalize Christmas prep.
From 8AM 'til noon, I sat in the Jury Assembly Room, then a court room with 50 others awaiting consideration.   I was #148.    By noon, 14 jurers were chosen and the rest of us were dismissed.    Off I went to finish my shopping...

Last night was the annual Bernard Christmas party, that we look forward to every year to renew friendships with long-time friends, but very sad because David is no longer with us.    He succumbed December 11, 2010 to injuries sustained on September 11, 2010 outside the World Trade Center.    Nancy carries on, but the toast to David's memory is always the highlight of our evening together.    We love you, Dave.

I'm very excited that my sister, Laurie Kay, is flying in from Texas on Christmas Eve.
We haven't been together for Christmas since December, 1999 and I haven't seen her since June, 2007.   This will be a Christmas to remember...

Have you ever listened to Pandora ?   What an awesome way to get into the spirit !

House is decorated, most gifts wrapped and under the trimmed tree, menu prepared, grocery shopping list is started - now, as Nike says, I have to "Just do it !"

But before I close, to show you I have been working on some little holiday projects, a photo of my worktable...

If I don't post again until after Christmas, it's because I'm busy, busy, busy -
I wish you all a Merry Merry Christmas and a Happy Happy New Year. 
Make memories with those you love, because when all is said and done, that's all we leave behind.

And sew on...

Jeanne

    

Busy, Busy

  Visitors to my blog are nearing the 3000 mark, but I have only 12 registered "Followers" and very few comments.    I'd love to know who's looking at my blog, so don't be shy - become a follower or leave a comment...  it's easy sneezy.

Since I know most of you visit to see my quilty posts, here we go...

In previous posts, I've told you about our new granddaughter, born mid-October.  Well... here's a photo of her quilt,  bound and ready for label and sleeve:

Inspired by Darlene Zimmerman's

"Gingham Flowers"

in her fat quarter small quilts book

DH and I visited 3 antique malls on Black Friday.  Some great bargains to be had !   We were looking for rusty tin canning jar covers, but only found them on the jar at $8 to $30.   Not what we wanted.  DH is my scout and came to me with a handful of tin tart molds.   Perfect !   They became pincushions...

If you're looking for a perfect gift for the stitcher in your life, I would part with one of these for $12.   Feel free to contact me.   I have several more tins to fill and you can choose the fabric color.

Last night was Squanicook Colonial Quilt Guild's (my guild) Holiday meeting - and we had our 1st Annual "Squanicookie Bakeoff."   3 year-old granddaughter, Meghan, and I made Snickerdoodle Squanicookies.   No we didn't win a prize - just making cookies with a little one is prize enough for me...     I did, however, come home with a "cookie buzz" and saw 3:00AM on the clock.   Needless to say, I'm tiod today ! 

As chair of our Guild Challenge, I am so excited to report that we have 35 New England sports team-themed quilts in progress, which will be donated to "Wrapped Up in Sports."   Check out this very worthy cause at http://www.wrappedupinsports.org/ .

All participants were anxious to see what others had accomplished and to move on to the next row or border in this Row and Round Robin project.   To be continued... 

Saturday I am speaking at Breakfast Club at the Quilted Crow Quilt Shoppe, Boxborough, MA, and will be presenting a trunk show of the little quilts I've made for Jo (Morton)'s Little Women' Club #8 and #9.    Breakfast Club is from 9AM-10:30, the cost is $9 and breakfast will be served.   Now, where can you get breakfast AND entertainment for $9 !!!!     Here are just a few of the little quilts:

Time to get crackin' ~  Sun is shining.   Think I'll go for a walk - need the fresh air to help flush the sugar from the system !!!!

And sew on... 

Jeanne





Thanksgiving

I am thankful for my family - my dear husband, my three sons, two daughters-in-law and, it goes without saying, my two granddaughters, Meghan (3) and Ashley (6 weeks) ~

...and my mom, three sisters and their families and my husband's family, most of whom are in cold, snowy Northern Wisconsin.

Our Thanksgiving dinner will be Sunday because the girls' (above) daddy, is a firefighter, and is on duty today.    That's not to say he won't be eating turkey.   The "station" is treated to all the trimmings on holidays.

We, on the other hand, have been invited by dear friends to spend the day with them. 
The guys will watch the Pats game and we "girls" will cook and stitch.
I will take a crab dip appetizer and NY Barb T's German apple pie.  Must get crackin'  

To all my quilty friends and family - Happy Happy Thanksgiving ~

And Sew On...

~ Jeanne

PS - if you're in the area, The Quilted Crow is having their Holiday Open House tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday.   Get away from the mall and see you there.