This and That...

It's been a busy CRAZY couple of weeks.  Good busy CRAZY. Surprisingly I'm still sane.  Well, as sane as I'll ever be!  First off let me thank all my sweet peeps who came by and encouraged and supported me during our Christmas Open House!  I have a true wealth of dear friends.  This year's Open House was amazing and so fun and successful.  (pics to follow soon once I get up and running computer wise) I lost count of how many people came through my doors, but I loved every minute of it.  What I didn't love:  My computer crashing in the middle of it all, and getting some weird flu/migraine bug for the past week that I can't seem to shake.  I have one more market to go and then it will be time to focus on our Christmas here.  I have a good chunk of decorations up already, but I need to put some personal touches on now that open house is done!  I MUST bake...I am in withdrawl!
During our busiest day of Open House a good friend of mine popped in and took Abby out for a special date with her kiddos.  Abby was much in need of some quality time and was thrilled to spend the afternoon having fun.  Here's a few pics of her day...

Cozying up with Mrs. Claus (aka Miss Marilyn)

Cozying up to Mr.Claus....(no relation to Mrs. Claus!)

Sugaring up with buddies J&L....

A true Abby smile...

Mini Tree Skirt...

I found a tutorial for this mini tree skirt a loooong time ago, and for the life of me I can't remember who did it.  But, to whomever did, my thanks and acknowledgement goes out to you sista, and I will try to dig through the archives and find you to give you proper thanks!
I had fun making this little tree skirt.  Many people have smaller trees these days and it can be hard to find a tree skirt for those little guys!  This pattern was fairly easy and fun to do.  I love how it joins with ribbon at the opening.  Well, Kim's on her way over to do set up for the open house so I'd better get out of my jammies and into work mode!

Runner Up...

Lovin' the Brights...

My habit is to quilt in subtle, softer tones, but I'm really learning to love the bright fabrics.  This cute strippy runner is one of a few I'll have at the open house.  Now, off the computer to finish the binding by hand on this one!
P.S...so apparently I took the picture upside down...oops!  Can I use crazy, busy as my excuse?  thanks...

Next Up...

Well, this week certainly hasn't gone how I was expecting it to!  Thursday was computer problems (hence the lack of post) and then yesterday we were without power for 11 hours (hence the lack of post).  Murphy's law says if you tell your readers you're going to post every day, something will happen to prevent you from doing so!   So, I'll keep this short and sweet since I have lots to do to catch up.  Here's a (really bad) picture of some of the prep work for Advent calendars   This is my weekend project.  I am only making 4 this year.  They are a lot of work, but they seem popular.  This picture was taken yesterday when I was sitting on the floor and using the bay window as a cutting area because the power was out and it was the only place that had sufficient light (and heat) for me to be working!  Here's a link to some calendars I did a few years back.  These ones will be very similar!

Here Birdie, Birdie...

Up today is the ever loved Birdie Sling by Amy Butler!  I have made a few of these in the past, but there's always a new fabric combination that screams 'Make me into a Birdie Sling'!  These bags are a little time consuming to make, but the end result is always worth it.  These suckers are so durable that they'll last a lifetime!

I'm Hooked...

Hooked on a book.  When we were down in Washington on holidays this year I stopped in at a quilt shop in Marysville that I had visited a couple of years earlier.  It's a cute little shop with a variety of beautiful fabrics.  I stumbled upon a book called Sweetwater's Simple Home and fell in love!  I bought the book as a birthday prezzie to myself and have thoroughly enjoyed reading through it multiple times.  There are beautiful project patterns for every room in the house and I am determined to make at least one of everything out of the book!  One of my new favourite patterns in the book is for placemats.  I'm always on the look out for a great placemat pattern.  One that's functional but still contemporary.  These ones are perfect!  They will make perfect presents!  I'm having fun switching the pattern up a little and strip piecing some of the tops.  They're super easy, and not too time consuming.  Now, I realize that this should have been photographed with a lovely table setting showing off the beauty of the placemat, but at this point in time I can barely leave the sewing room to even do a blog post...so this is it for now!

T Minus 2 weeks and counting...

Yikes, Open House is creeping up fast, as it always does!  Check out my sidebar to the right for details.
I'm going to give a sneak peek each day leading up to the Open House to let you see what I've been working on.
Today, it's these chenille quilt tops that I recently pieced.  Now, I realize that the colours are a little 'old school' but there's something irresistable about a soft, snuggly blanket like this one for a newborn.
I still have to quilt them and bind them but here's the gist...

Surprise, Surprise...

Here I was, sitting at my computer when I should've been sewing.  BUT, if I had been sitting in my sewing room, sewing away, I wouldn't have heard the knock on the door that brought a pleasant surprise to my day!  My friend, Rhonda, drove all the way out from Chilliwack to drop off a giftie for ME!  Why?  I have no idea...the card says 'Thanks for being You'....well, Rhonda, I say thanks for being YOU!  You brought a smile to face and a bright spot in my day.  I don't know what I did to deserve it, but I appreciate it!  You have always been a generous person.  I love, LOVE the gifties.  A beautiful fall wall hanging that will inspire me to stitch waaaay more neater, and a book that's been on my "I 'need'" list for awhile now! (After all, I am a Farmer's Wife.....) Well, now that I'm inspired, I'd better go sew...