I enjoy the entrance of a new year. I love the feeling of hope I can make another year in good health and with joy. I know there is not guarantee of either and yet not knowing if OK as today is just what it is...now. I like the now and the moment of now with the breath entering and leaving giving energy yet taking rest with each exhale. The annual dinner for New Year's Eve with lobster and Dom champagne bring me joy and I love the family/friends gathering to toast each other and a new year. We dine early so those that have other events can get to them and those that don't can hang out.

Celebrate all year long.

GGDtr Now has a Christmas Stocking

Starting the year off by finishing a Christmas Stocking for Chloe the newest addition to our family. Our Great Grand Daughter made her way into our lives on December 20. Her stocking will now hang to welcome Christmas into our home.

It takes longer than I remember to put all the beads and embroidery and then cut and then applique the pieces on the stocking.

It is worth the time as it is cute and will be a great addition to all the others next year. 

Chloe, dear sweet girl, welcome to our family. Happy parents, happy baby.

ok, so enough with the camera already, let me sleep

2018

Where did 2017 go? Blogging when one gets out of the habit can easily just keep sliding, so that is my excuse.
I did on my needles have two quilts, several pillow cases, 30 backpacks for Lutheran World Relief,  two applique blocks,  one knitted cowl, 5 knitted hats, 4 pairs of fingerless gloves, and 6 draw string gift bags. I would love to say I had pics of these things but the hats and fingerless glove were Christmas gifts that did not get pictured. I think my 2018 resolution should be to remember to take pictures.At least the gift bags got a pic...

2017 was a year of RV travel from July through November covereing the Northwest US and wine country in British Columbia. I do have pics of this so will share later on posts. It was a trip to renew the stock of our wine racks which led to a small redo of our under stairs closet into a wine closet and there will be pics of that in another post also.

2017 also saw the December birth of our first great grand daughter so pics of her will be another post. 

2018 started with our annual New Year's eve party so pics (there are not many) will be another post.
Then there is the word for 2018.....lets see....maybe....but then there is....got it....HOW

How can I...
How is it that....
How many....
How about this....
How do we....
How do I....
How about we...

Till next post How about we all have a great start to our 2018!!

HAPPY NEW 2018

Making Patriotic Coaters (easy peezy)

Getting in the mood to celebrate in July the great country I get to call home. Red White and Blue needs to be visible and I need some new coasters and I need some for a couple of hostess gifts. These easy to make coasters are my go to for a lot of holidays to give as thanks you, hostess or thinking of you gifts. Here is a quick how I do these...
I make mine cut 5 inch finish 4.5 inch.
*You will need to cut batting and material squares all 5 inches. Each coaster will take
1 batting square and 4 fabric squares. Your choice of materials and combinations are infinity and can be whatever you want.
1  - 5 inch square will be one side of coaster
1  - 5inch square will be the inside for the folded stemmed wine glass holder
2  - 5 inch squares will be for the folded inserts to create the stemmed wine glass holder

I used plaid for the inside of the folded stemmed wine glass holder and stars for the side without inserts

 

* Make a sandwich       Materials will be put on batting with wrong side to  the batting; right side of materials facing out.

*Fold and press two of the 5" squares with wrong sides together

*Put folded pieces onto the side that will be the finished side without the inserts of your coaster with wrong sides matching; folded sides together.

folded pieces on top of square that will be the side without the inserts of coaster

*Sew 1/4" around all sides

1/4" seam on all sides

*Make sure bottom square as you are sewing stays flat...

What not to do!

*Clip corners

Corners clipped

*Now turn and you are DONE

Insert for stemmed wine glass side

"bottom" or to use when not wanting to insert stemmed wine glass

*press and enjoy...

I keep some ready to gift or use... they come in very handy for a quick hostess gift with 2 or 4 tied nicely together with ribbon and tag.

Thanks for being here!  Enjoy YOUR summer sewing.

Flowers on My Walk

Have not done quilting lately as travel has been taking a lot of time. RV Rallies in Louisana and several in Texas have kept us on the road. A lot of fun for sure. So upon returning home it was out to walk in the neighborhood to get those miles logged. It is spring and flowers are showing up in the yards.  Pics of just nice walking views.

OK not a flower but all the man holes have been painted blue??

This too not a flower but...

Expressions of Bandanas

It seems bandanas have been expressions of all sorts of things in this world: cowboys, workers with overalls, dog collars, gangs, placemats, sew together for all sorts of things. The nice thing about them is they are cheap, colorful and easy to sew...the not so good, they are not all the exact same size. In the bags of material I was gifted were a lot of these, enough to sew 3 #lwrquilts .

3 across 4 down makes the 60x80