CHRISTMAS QUILT, ORNAMENTS AND GIFT

I finished Bonnie Hunter's Christmas Lights mystery quilt before Christmas! It was published in 3 different issues of Quiltmaker and I had never done a mystery quilt before. I was able to use mostly fabric from my stash, including a lot of scraps.

When I finished the top I didn't know if I had any fabric to use for the backing and then I remembered some fabric I had bought at a garage sale in Oregon - it was perfect!
Since Christmas is over, I'm now able to show some things I made for Christmas too - some I made way back in January, like these pillowcases.
This quilt was a gift for the judge I worked with before I retired.
I made a bunch of these ornaments last January (I did most of the stitching while DH was in the hospital). It was great to have them finished early - I've never been that early before! Hee Hee!
The pattern was from Abyquilt

I received this darling dish towel before Christmas from Carolyn (no blog) of Lee Prairie Designs in Des Moines, IA. She had several of her patterns published in the premier issue of "Make-Ability" which is available now. Isn't it sweet?
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with your families! We are still visiting with ours!

GUILD CHRISTMAS MEETING

Last week was my quilters guild Christmas pot luck at our president's lovely home. In her entry way, she has a treadle sewing machine decorated for Christmas.

She also has a doll collection.
This penny rug came from a silent auction in Midlothian, TX. I love it!
I love her doll trunk with the clothes. There's even a tiny hanky in the trunk. When I was a girl I really wanted one of these trunks.
Another doll can play the piano!
This is the center medallion of our guild's raffle quilt for next year. Isn't it gorgeous!!
Our vice president made this quilt for her granddaughter.
I received the yo-yo Christmas tree in the ornament exchange.
A merry time was had by all! Merry Christmas to all of you!

RETIREMENT BEGINS

I still can't believe it! Friday was my last day at work! I'm officially retired!!!!!!! On my last day I had a picture taken of the judge and me in the courtroom where we spent so much time. We worked together for over 11 years and I couldn't have had a better boss. It was a wonderful career for me and I am very appreciative of the opportunity that I had to work in the Federal Court.

The judge has a career law clerk who I have enjoyed worked with also and she is holding up the quilt I gave her as a going away gift.

Among the gifts I received from some of my friends are this beautiful shawl,

...and this gorgeous necklace. I also received two travel books to provide information as we hopefully do some traveling around this great country of ours!
The Court's holiday luncheon was held with prizes given for food that people provided. I won 2nd prize in the salad contest and received the mug, which will be a special momento from my time in the Court.

I will miss everyone, but now I am FREE!!!!!!!!!!!

CHRISTMAS HOME TOUR

Today, DH & I went on a home tour in a nearby town. I love seeing old homes. This first one was built in 1902.

They had singers singing Christmas carols.
This next house was built in 1900 and has been furnished with period antiques. Beautiful lamps with glass shades and stained glass windows are features along with 3 beautiful mantles.

Everything was decked out for Christmas.

I just can't get enough of visiting old homes. I love to see them decorated like they were when they were built.

RETIREMENT PARTY!!

I was given a retirement party at work on Thursday - 2 weeks before the actual retirement day - because of Christmas and work related conflicts. The party was wonderful!!! I really was amazed and very happy with all the people who came to the party. When I went into the room, the biggest surprise was that my GS Jonah was there with my DIL!! My son wasn't able to make it and the other 2 sons live very far away. Jonah was the hit of the party!!
I received the gorgeous roses, a shirt (below) and, of course, a retirement plaque.


Also, this sweet figurine from the U. S. Probation Office (I worked there for a couple years also). It made me feel so grateful to have so many people come to the party, including some federal judges!!

Here's my finished candy cane basket.
Jonah seemed to like the barn toy that we dug out of the closet. Since I didn't know they were coming, I hadn't gotten the house prepared for company at all. DH knew that if he cleaned the house I would have suspected something.
Jonah cuddling with grandpa. He is such a sweetie!

SOME CHRISTMAS FINISHES

When I saw the "candy" canes on La Vie En Rosie I wanted to make them right away. So I got busy and all the directions are there. I had a hard time at first, but eventually, I widened the stick part a little so it was easier to stuff them. I have to say it wasn't really fun turning and stuffing them, but I really liked them when I got them finished. I decided to continue with the directions to stiffen them and dye them a little, then paint on sparkly stuff. I'm not sure I would dye or sparkle them next time - if I ever do them again. I ran out of sparkle, so some of them don't sparkle all the way down.
If you go to her web site you will see how she arranged them in a tin bucket and I really like how hers looks. I'm not finished arranging mine and I'm going to give some away, so I won't have that many in my basket. I just stuffed them in for now.
I got some berries & greenery to put in the basket, so I think it will look better after I rearrange them.
A special little GD is having her first Christmas this year! Her birthday is Dec. 29, so she will have a birthday soon too! Here she is taking her first steps.
I will be sending her stocking to her this week. I had almost a whole year to get it finished!! The stocking is a dark red - the color didn't come out real well in the picture.
Now on to another project - and I'll be finished for this year! Woo Hoo!! I'll have to post pictures after Christmas. Good luck finishing up your projects too!

MYSTERY QUILT

When Bonnie Hunter blogged about her new mystery quilt that was going to be published in "Quiltmaker" magazine over 3 issues, I decided to do it. First of all, I had never done a mystery quilt before and wanted to see what it was like. Second, I like Bonnie's style and ideas and she is generous with her ideas on her web site. I decided that I would do it and would do everything right away when the issues came out and get it done before Christmas!

I'm not sure what possessed me because I had plenty of other projects to work on. I guess I have the quilting disease like a lot of you! Hee Hee!

I got the top finished today and tomorrow I'll drop it at the quilter's. Hopefully it will get quilted soon so I can finish it before Christmas!
It is made almost all from my stash. I had to buy some gold because I ran out of that. Then I was hoping that I had something I could back it with and I remembered the fabric that I bought at a garage sale last March for about $1 per yard, and there was a piece just big enough and it looked Christmasy as well! Yeah!

SOME FUTURE SCRAPPY PROJECTS

I got this free pattern in the mail and really liked it. In the mean time, I have been working on gifts and not able to post them for fear that the recipients would see them, so I haven't posted anything for quite a while. I needed a break from those projects, so I started cutting from my stash for a few scrap quilts.
Here are a few sample blocks that I made up and below are lots of triangles and strips cut to make them. This will be a good leader/ender project.
Below are a few blocks left over from a baby quilt that I made and I decided to get some more of these made up for a potential future gift.
I am trying to get some eye spy type of fabrics for the baby quilt.
This cat quilt looks like fun too, so I decided to cut some more fabric for this one.
Another leader/ender project. I'm retiring soon, so I'm hoping to get lots of sewing done! One month from today I'll be free!!! Woo Hoo!!!!

A FALL QUILT!

Lots of bloggers have been showing their fall quilts and decor. I was thinking, it would be nice to have a fall quilt, too! Wait a minute! What about the quilt hanging across the rocking chair?
It's a farm quilt kit that I bought just because I liked the animals on it. But, it does have pumpkins too.
And some fall colors.
So, from now on, this will be considered my fall quilt!